The United States said Sunday it will not join any Israeli counterattack on Iran, with President Joe Biden warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “think carefully” about any escalation.

The White House said Biden did not want a wider war after helping key ally Israel repel a massive aerial attack by Tehran — itself in retaliation for a presumed Israeli strike that killed an Iranian general in Damascus, AFP reported.

“We’re not looking for a wider war with Iran,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” adding that the United States does not “want to see this escalate.”

Kirby said Netanyahu was “well aware” of Biden’s feelings after the two leaders spoke on Saturday while Iran’s unprecedented attack was still unfolding.

The assault saw Iran fire more than 300 drones and missiles towards Israel late Saturday, injuring 12 people, the Israeli army said.

US officials said American warplanes had brought down around 70 drones while US ships downed between four and six ballistic missiles.

But a senior Biden administration official confirmed that Biden had told Netanyahu that Washington would not offer military support for any retaliation on Iran, AFP reported.

“We would not be a part of any response they do,” the official told reporters on a call, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We would not envision ourselves participating in such an act.”

Biden and Netanyahu spoke at a time of “heightened emotion” while the attacks were still ongoing and “had a discussion about trying to slow things down.”

The US president “made very clear to the prime minister last night that we do have to think carefully and strategically about the risks of escalation.”

Israel was on high alert Sunday after Iran’s unprecedented attack sparked fears of a broader conflict.

The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on Sunday after Israel requested the council condemn Iran’s attack on Israel and designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization.

The meeting will take place late afternoon, Reuters reported.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, requested the council hold an emergency meeting in a letter on Saturday to the council’s president.

“The Iranian attack is a serious threat to global peace and security and I expect the Council to use every means to take concrete action against Iran,” Erdan wrote in a post on X.

Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel late on Saturday in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a major escalation as the United States pledged “ironclad” backing for Israel.

One person was killed and 10 others were injured on Friday in the southern Turkish province of Antalya after a cable car cabin collided with a broken pole, the interior ministry said on Saturday.

Twenty-four cabins were stranded in the air at 5:23 p.m. (1423 GMT) on Friday. Sixteen hours later, more than 60 people were still stranded in the remaining nine cabins in the air, the ministry said. One hundred and twelve people had been rescued, Reuters reported. 

None of the people waiting to be rescued had critical injuries or were in poor health, Disaster and Emergency Management Authority chairman Okay Memis told reporters at the scene, adding that they aimed to complete rescue work before sunset.

In a statement on social media platform X, the interior ministry said seven helicopters and more than 500 rescue workers were carrying out rescue efforts.

A video released by the interior ministry showed rescue personnel tied to safety ropes climbing into cabins.

According to the information on its website, the cable car has 36 cabins with a capacity of six people each, and it takes an average of nine minutes to go uphill to the Tunektepe facility with panoramic views of the city of Antalya.