Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for de-escalation in the Middle East following explosions in an Iranian city overnight.

He said during a press conference in Victoria on Friday: "Everything must be done to prevent further escalation in the region."

Explosions rocked the Iranian city of Isfahan following what sources described as an Israeli attack. Tehran downplayed the incident which led to the temporary closure of its airspace on Friday.

Media outlets and Iranian officials described a small number of explosions they said were caused by the Israeli strike on three drones above the city. Notably, they referred to the incident as an attack by "intruders" and not by Israel.

Israel did not mention the incident, and it has been saying for several days that it plans to retaliate against Iran for the strikes that occurred on April 13 - the first direct attack by Iran on Israel in decades of shadow warfare waged by proxy that has escalated throughout the Middle East after six months of conflict in Gaza.

Iran and Israel are heading toward direct confrontation since an alleged Israeli airstrike on April 1 destroyed a building in the Iranian embassy complex in Syria and killed several Iranian officers, including a high-ranking general.

Allies, including the United States, are strongly pressuring to ensure that any retaliatory response is prevented to avoid further hostilities. Western nations have tightened sanctions on Iran to appease Israel.

Trudeau was asked on Friday if he was speaking with the Israeli government to urge for de-escalation in the Middle East. The Prime Minister directly blamed Iran.

He said, "We condemn in the strongest possible terms the utterly irresponsible attack that Iran has launched directly against Israel."

He added, "It is completely wrong to see this in the region; we need to move toward peace and stability."

The Prime Minister stated that a two-state solution is the "only long-term" way to secure peace in the Middle East.

He added, "Israel is peaceful and secure and democratic alongside a peaceful, secure, and democratic Palestinian state - this is what Canada has always fought for."

The Israeli assault on Gaza began after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two armed groups backed by Iran, launched a cross-border attack on October 7 that left 1,200 people dead in Israel, according to Israeli accounts. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in the retaliatory strikes carried out by Israel, and nearly 80 percent of Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced due to the conflict.

Iran-backed groups have declared their support for the Palestinians and have carried out attacks from Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq, raising fears that the conflict in Gaza could evolve into a wider regional war.

Trudeau's comments come as Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly is in Italy for a meeting with other G7 foreign ministers.

Joly and her counterparts issued a joint statement on Friday condemning Iran for its attack on Israel and noted reports that Israel was behind the drone attack in Isfahan.

Joly posted on X (formerly Twitter): "In light of the reported strikes in Iran and following our meeting this morning, I join my G7 colleagues in urging all parties to work to prevent further escalation."