Iranian envoy to UN says country will respond firmly if U.S. becomes directly involved in Israeli strikes

Iran said it had conveyed to Washington that it will respond firmly to the United States if it becomes directly involved in Israel's military campaign, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said on Wednesday.

Ali Bahreini, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations in Geneva, told reporters that he saw the U.S. as "complicit in what Israel is doing."

Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after saying it had concluded the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.

The U.S. has so far only taken indirect actions in the current conflict with Iran, including helping to shoot down missiles fired toward Israel. It is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, three U.S. officials told Reuters.

Bahreini said Iran will also respond strongly to Israeli strikes.

"We will not show any reluctance in defending our people, security and land – we will respond seriously and strongly, without restraint," Bahreini told reporters.

Thousands of people were fleeing Tehran and other major cities on Wednesday, Iranian media reported, as Iran and Israel launched new missile strikes at each other despite U.S. President Donald Trump calling for Tehran's unconditional surrender.

The Israeli military said two barrages of Iranian missiles were launched toward Israel in the first two hours of Wednesday morning. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv.