Israeli military says retaliatory attack ‘completed’, as Iran says it is ‘entitled and obligated to defend itself’.
Here are some world reactions:
United Nations
Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply alarmed” by the escalation of violence in the Middle East, adding that all acts of escalation in the region are condemnable and must stop.
Guterres “urgently reiterates his appeal to all parties to cease all military actions, including in Gaza and Lebanon,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, calling for “maximum efforts to prevent an all-out regional war and return to the path of diplomacy.”
United States
According to President Joe Biden, Israel’s attack on Iran seems to have exclusively hit military targets, and he expressed his hope that this was “the end.”
“Iran should stop attacking Israel so that this cycle of fighting can end without further escalation,” said Sean Savett, spokesperson for the US National Security Council.
“In contrast to Iran’s attack against Israel, which targeted Israel’s most populous city, their response was an exercise in self-defense and specifically avoided populated areas and focused solely on military targets,” he continued.
“It is our aim to accelerate diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region,” Savett emphasized, emphasizing that the US was not involved in the operation.
Speaking to his Israeli colleague Yoav Gallant, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin “reaffirmed the ironclad commitment of the US to Israel’s security and right to self-defense,” according to a post made by Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder on the social media site X.
Qatar
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the attack constituted a “blatant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and a clear breach of international law.”
It called on all sides “to exercise restraint, resolve disputes through dialogue and peaceful means, and avoid anything that could destabilize security and stability in the region,” expressing “deep concern regarding the serious repercussions that may result from this escalation.”
The ministry reiterated a call for the international community to intensify efforts aimed at de-escalation and “ending the suffering of the peoples of the region, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon”.
Egypt
It “condemns all actions that threaten the security and stability of the region,” according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Egypt emphasizes its stance that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip should be achieved as soon as possible within the framework of an agreement that releases hostages, as it is the only means of de-escalation,” the statement read.
Turkey
“With this attack, Israel has now brought our region to the brink of a wider war, killing civilians every day in Lebanon, committing genocide in Gaza, and preparing to annex the West Bank,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The statement urged the international community to “take immediate action to enforce the law and stop the [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu government,” adding that it was now evident that ending Israeli terror in the region had become a historic task to ensure international security and peace.
It stated, “We do not want our region to experience any more war, violence, or lawlessness.”
Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all sides to “exercise the utmost restraint and reduce escalation,” denouncing the military’s targeting of Iran as a “violation of its sovereignty” and international law.
“The Kingdom affirms its firm position in its rejection of the continued escalation in the region and the expansion of the conflict that threatens the security and stability of the countries and peoples of the region,” the ministry said in a statement.
Iraq
In a statement criticizing “the international community’s silence” on Israeli actions, government spokesman Basim Alawadi said, “The occupying Zionist entity continues its aggressive policies and widens the conflict in the region through blatant attacks that it carries out with impunity,” including against Iranian targets.
Iraq “reiterates its firm stance calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, and for comprehensive regional and international efforts to support stability in the region,” according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.
Jordan
“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,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates stated that the international community must “shoulder its responsibilities and take immediate measures to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.”
Kuwait
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli attacks, stating that they were a reflection of “the policy of chaos pursued by the Israeli occupation forces through violating the sovereignty of states.”
Hamas
The Palestinian group said it condemned “the Zionist aggression” against Iran.
“We consider it a flagrant violation of Iranian sovereignty and an escalation targeting the security of the region.”
Russia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, warned of “the ongoing explosive escalation” in the area and urged all sides to exercise caution, put an end to the violence, and keep things from turning into a catastrophe.
She went on to say, “We must break the cycle of unchecked escalation and cease inciting Iran to take retaliatory action.”
Germany
Chancellor Olaf Scholz posted on X: “My message to Iran is clear: massive escalating reactions must not continue. These must stop immediately. Only then can we open the possibility of a peaceful evolution in the Middle East.”
United Kingdom
“I am certain that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression,” stated Prime Minister Keir Starmer. I’m also adamant that we must prevent additional regional escalation and encourage moderation from all parties. Iran shouldn’t react.
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”.
“Israel bears full responsibility for the current cycle of escalation and expansion of the conflict in the region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, adding that the attacks “undermine [the] path to regional peace and stability and also constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region.”
It also urged the UN Security Council “to take immediate steps to bring an end to Israeli criminal behavior and recklessness in the region.”
Pakistan
“Israel bears full responsibility for the current cycle of escalation and expansion of the conflict in the region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, adding that the attacks “undermine [the] path to regional peace and stability and also constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region.”
It also urged the UN Security Council “to take immediate steps to bring an end to Israeli criminal behavior and recklessness in the region.”
Syria
Expressing its “solidarity” with Iran, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it supported “Iran’s legitimate right to defend itself and protect its territory and the lives of its citizens”.
United Arab Emirates
The Gulf state voiced “deep concern over the continued escalation and its impact on regional security and stability” in addition to denouncing the military’s targeting of Iran.The Gulf state voiced “deep concern over the continued escalation and its impact on regional security and stability” in addition to denouncing the military’s targeting of Iran.
Oman
The Israeli airstrikes were described as “an escalation that fuels the cycle of violence and undermines efforts aimed at de-escalation and reducing tension” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which also called the attack a “blatant violation” of Iran’s sovereignty.
The “international community must once again take effective action to stop the aggression and put an end to violations on the territories of neighboring countries,” the statement added.
Malaysia
The Israeli strikes, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “seriously undermine regional security” and constitute a “clear violation of international law.”
“Malaysia calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the cycle of violence,” the statement added
LIVE: Israel intensifies northern Gaza siege, attacks on southern Lebanon
- “The entire population of Gaza is at risk of dying in a genocide that has been announced and carried out under our watch,” says Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory.
- Israeli forces bomb six buildings in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, killing at least 45 people, as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) calls on the United States to stop the “systematic extermination of an entire population” in the Palestinian enclave.
- Israeli forces also launched air raids on Beirut’s southern suburb after warning residents of several neighbourhoods to leave their homes.
- Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian mourned four soldiers killed in the wave of Israeli attacks across Iran on Saturday. Tehran insists the assault caused “limited damage”.
- In Gaza, at least 42,847 people have been killed and 100,544 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks and more than 200 were taken captive.
Lebanon says two killed in Israel strike in city of Sidon
Eleven others have been wounded in an Israeli air raid targeting the southern coastal city, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
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