China, Türkiye must dissuade Iran from retaliating against Israel — Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged his Turkish, Chinese and other counterparts to use their influence to dissuade Iran from striking Israel, the State Department said.

Blinken spoke by telephone over the past day to his Chinese, Turkish, Saudi and European counterparts "to make clear that escalation is not in anyone's interest and that countries should urge Iran not to escalate," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Thursday.

Blinken also spoke by telephone with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant "to reiterate our strong support for Israel against these threats," Miller said.

Iran has vowed to retaliate after an Israeli strike on April 1 levelled an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus, killing seven members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, including two generals.

US restricts its employees in Israel

President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that US support for Israel's security was "ironclad," despite his criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct of the war in Gaza.

On Thursday, the US restricted its employees in Israel and their family members from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv, West Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva [Bir al-Sab in Arabic] areas "out of an abundance of caution."

The United States has repeatedly made public appeals for China, seen as its top long-term global rival, to do more to address the Middle East crisis, including through pressure on Iran.

Beijing, in turn, has criticised the United States as biased toward ally Israel.