G7 leaders to discuss Iranian attack in Sunday video call

ROME - Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, has called a video meeting of G7 leaders on Sunday to discuss Iran's attack on Israel late on Saturday.

The Iranian attack in response to a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran's embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 has raised the threat of a wider regional conflict.

"We express our deep concern about a further destablisation of the situation in the region and continue to work to avoid that," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on social media platform X.

The G7 call will be held in the early afternoon European time, an Italian government statement said.

U.S. President Joe Biden has pledgeda coordinated G7 diplomatic response to the drone and missile attack, which he condemned, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he hoped that the Israeli government shows restraint in its response.

"I hope that the Israeli government will adopt a cautious line. I hope that there will be no counterattack to the counterattack," Tajani told radio station RTL 102.5.

The G7 groups the United States, Canada, Italy, Britain, France, Germany and Japan. Its foreign ministers are scheduled to meet over April 17-19 on the Italian island of Capri.

(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by David Goodman)