United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the urgent de-escalation in the Middle East in a call with the Iranian foreign minister on Tuesday, urging "maximum restraint".

It comes on the back of Iran's aerial bombardment of Israel over the weekend in which over 350 drones and missiles were launched towards the Jewish state. 

"The secretary general's position is one he stated very clearly on Sunday in his call for maximum restraint," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, during a press briefing. "We do not want to see another cycle of eye for an eye, which is not a policy that will lead to peace."

The aerial assault followed an alleged Israeli air strike on the Iranian consulate earlier this month in which a senior Quds Force commanders was killed along with several IRGC personnel.

Dujarric added that on Monday, Guterres also was in touch with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and other Israeli officials. The Secretary-General has called for de-escalating tension and reorienting efforts on the peace front in the region.

The Israeli military said 99 percent of the aerial threats were intercepted by an operation with a US-led coalition of partners.

Israel has also expressed its intention to retaliate against the assault, which its military chief was too severe to leave unanswered. "Iran will face the consequences for its actions", said Hertzl Halevi, chief of the general staff, earlier this week. 

The UN's calls also come amid criticism that the body has allowed Iran to chair its disarmament conference, while Iran not only bombards Israel and funds terror proxies across the Middle East and beyond, but also supplies drones to Russia in its offensive against Ukraine.