WASHINGTON

Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani on Wednesday defended the "necessary" missile strikes by Tehran that targeted Israel one day earlier.

"Iran’s missile strikes were a necessary and proportionate response to Israel’s continued terrorist aggressive acts over the past two months," Iravani said at an emergency session of the Security Council.

He said Tehran's action was in full accordance with its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and a direct response to Israel's repeated aggression against Iran.

He said the international community cannot afford to remain silent.

"We reiterate our call on this Council to respond with urgency and determination," said the Iranian envoy. "The Security Council must intervene to stop Israel’s continued aggression and war crimes against Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria and to prevent the situation from escalating into a full-scale regional war."

Iran "strongly" warns against "any further acts of aggression by the Israeli terrorist regime against our national security and vital interests,” he said. “Iran is fully prepared to take further defensive measures, if necessary, to protect its legitimate interests and defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty against any acts of military aggression and the illegal use of force. In this regard, Iran will have no hesitation.”

The envoy also said the US is complicit in Israeli attacks.

"While the Israeli regime must be held accountable for the atrocity crimes one cannot disregard the US' complicity in Israeli crimes," said Iravani.

"Israel’s warmongering relies on the US regime’s military support and political backing. American weapons constitute a major part of Israeli weaponry and ammunition used in Gaza, and therefore the United States is implicated in every aspect of Israel’s atrocity," he added.

Iran fired 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday, which it said was in retaliation for the recent assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, and an Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander.

Israel vowed late Tuesday to respond to the attack at a time of its choosing, calling it “a severe, dangerous escalation.”