United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Sunday (Apr 14) issued a reminder that acts of reprisal involving the use of force are barred under international law after Iran’s attack on Israel, while the US warned the Security Council it would work to hold Tehran accountable at the UN.

Guterres, speaking to a meeting of the UN Security Council, told member states that the UN charter bars the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state as he condemned Iran’s attack on Israel and warned against further escalation.

Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles on Saturday in its first ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a major escalation.

The attack was in response to a suspected Israeli strike on Iran’s embassy compound in Syria on Apr 1 that killed top Revolutionary Guards commanders and followed months of clashes between Israel and Iran’s regional allies, triggered by the war in Gaza.

“The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate,” Guterres told the meeting, which was called after Iran’s attack.

Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood called on the 15 member body to unequivocally condemn Iran’s attack, as he said the Security Council has an obligation to not let Iran’s actions go unanswered.

“In the coming days, and in consultation with other member states, the United States will explore additional measures to hold Iran accountable here at the United Nations,” he said, without specifying what action the US would take.