PARIS, Oct 26 (AFP/Reuters): The US and Britain called for "de-escalation" after Israel on Saturday hit military targets across Iran in deadly retaliatory strikes as Muslim countries blamed Israel for exacerbating the conflict.
Israeli planes hit military bases, missile sites, and other systems in several Iranian regions in retaliation for a missile barrage earlier this month. Iran said two soldiers died in the attacks.
US: 'Exercise in self-defense' - The United States urged Iran on Saturday to stop attacking Israel to break the cycle of violence "without further escalation".
Israel's "response was an exercise in self-defense and specifically avoided populated areas and focused solely on military targets, contrary to Iran's attack against Israel that targeted Israel's most populous city," National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett told reporters, stressing that the United States did not participate in the operation. "It is our aim to accelerate diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region," he said.
Britain: 'De-escalation' -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for "de-escalation" and said Iran should not respond to Israel's strikes.
"I think we need to be really clear that Israel does have the right to defend itself, but we are urging, and have been urging all sides to show restraint, and that is why I am very clear today, Iran should not be responding to this," Starmer said.
Saudi Arabia:' Threatens security' - Saudi Arabia condemned Israel and warned against any further expansion of the conflict in the Middle East.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation" of the Israeli strikes, the foreign ministry said, repeating its "firm position rejecting escalation of the conflict in the region", which "threatens the security and the stability of countries and peoples" in the Middle East.
Syria:'Solidarity' with Iran - Syria expressed its "solidarity" with its ally Iran. The foreign ministry said it supported "Iran's legitimate right to defend itself and protect its territory and the lives of its citizens".
Qatar
The attack was a "blatant violation of Iran's sovereignty and a clear breach of international law," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Its statement expressed "deep concern regarding the serious repercussions that may result from this escalation" and urged all parties "to exercise restraint, resolve disputes through dialogue and peaceful means, and avoid anything that could destabilize security and stability in the region".
Egypt
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it "condemns all actions that threaten the security and stability of the region".
In a statement, it said: "Egypt stresses its position that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip should be reached quickly within the framework of a deal through which hostages are released given that it is the only way to de-escalate."
Turkey
"Israel, which is committing genocide in Gaza, preparing to annex the West Bank, and killing civilians every day in Lebanon, has now brought our region to the brink of a wider war with this attack," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. "It is now clear that putting an end to Israeli terror in the region has become a historic task to ensure international security and peace," it added in a statement, which called on the international community to "take immediate action to enforce the law and stop the [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu government".
Iraq
"The occupying Zionist entity continues its aggressive policies and widening the conflict in the region through blatant attacks that it carries out with impunity", including against Iranian targets, government spokesman Basim Alawadi said in a statement denouncing "the international community's silence" on Israeli actions.
Jordan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said the international community must "shoulder its responsibilities and take immediate measures to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon as a first step towards reducing the escalation, stopping Israel's violations of international law and [United Nations] resolutions, and protecting the security and stability of the region from the disastrous consequences of continued Israeli attacks".
Kuwait
Condemning the Israeli attacks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they reflected "the policy of chaos pursued by the Israeli occupation forces through violating the sovereignty of states" and "endangering the security of the region".
France
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged "all parties to abstain from any escalation and action that could worsen the extremely tense context in the region". People walk near an anti-US mural on a building after several explosions were heard, in Tehran, Iran, October 26, 2024.
Pakistan
The Israeli military strikes "against the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Iran "are a grave violation of the UN Charter and the international law", the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
United Arab Emirates
The Gulf nation condemned the military targeting of Iran and expressed "deep concern over the continued escalation and its impact on regional security and stability". In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised the "importance of exercising the highest levels of restraint and wisdom to avoid risks and the expansion of conflict".
Malaysia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the Israeli strikes a "clear violation of international law" that "seriously undermine regional security".
Meanwhile, a cross-border attack in October by two young Jordanians against Israeli soldiers is a sign of deep anger at the war in Gaza in a country with strong ties to the Palestinians.
"Jordanians are boiling with anger, this is undeniable," said Oraib Rantawi, head of the Amman-based Al Quds Center for Political Studies.
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