Benjamin Netanyahu has told UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron that Israel would "make its own decisions" over how to respond to an Iranian attack.
He said his government would "do everything necessary to defend itself" during talks the British government had hoped would help prevent escalation.
Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to retaliate to the unprecedented missile and drone assault at the weekend.
Lord Cameron told him any response should be "smart" and limited.
Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem after the meeting with Mr Netanyahu, Lord Cameron said he was there to "demonstrate our solidarity" after Iran's "appalling" attack.
He continued: "We hope that anything Israel does is as limited and as targeted and as smart as possible.
"It's in no-one's interest that we see escalation and that is what we said very clearly to all the people I've been speaking to here in Israel."
After the meeting, the Israeli prime minister said: "I want to make it clear - we will make our own decisions, and the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself."
Mr Netanyahu's remarks will reinforce the belief in western capitals that Israel is set to take action against Iran and there is a limit to how often they can call for restraint.
Israel is more than aware of concerns in Europe and the United States about the war escalating in the region.
However, western leaders may take comfort from the fact that Israeli leaders are trying to exploit the diplomatic support they have gained after Iran's attacks, which has seen international condemnation and the promise of new sanctions on Tehran.
It is possible Mr Netanyahu may not want to destroy that alliance with an act of retaliation that plunges the region into a full-scale war.
Lord Cameron is one of several Western foreign ministers who are expected to visit Israel in the coming days as part of a diplomatic drive to prevent that from happening.
FULL REPORT AT: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68833121
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