UPDATE - Germany's Scholz calls on Israel to contribute to de-escalation in Middle East

UPDATES WITH COMMENTS BY GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday called on Israel to contribute to de-escalation in the Middle East after Iran's weekend attack on Israel.

"Everyone agrees that the way Israel managed to repel this attack with regional and international partners was really impressive. This is also a great achievement by the Israeli army," Scholz told reporters in Shanghai during his visit to China.

"This is a success that should not be given away. Therefore our advice is to contribute to de-escalation," he stressed.

His remarks came as Israel's major allies, including the US and the UK, have stepped up their diplomatic efforts to persuade Israel to hold off on a retaliatory strike, in order to avert a wider war in the region.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also joined the chorus urging greater international efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating into a regional conflagration.

"Israel has triumphed in a defensive manner thanks to its strong air defense, and thanks to the determined intervention of the US, the UK, and Arab states," she told reporters in Paris.

"This defensive victory must now be secured diplomatically. Our priority must be to prevent a conflagration in the region," Baerbock said.

Iran on Saturday launched an airborne attack on Israel in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike on its diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital. It reportedly fired more than 300 drones and missiles, with almost all intercepted by the air defense systems of Israel and its allies – the US, France, and the UK.