The US, Britain and the European Union called for “de-escalation” after Israel on Saturday (October 26, 2024) hit military targets across Iran in deadly retaliatory strikes as Muslim countries and Russia 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 to stop attacking Israel and 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,” Mr. Starmer said.

EU: ‘Utmost restraint’

The European Union warned against “the dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliations”, which could lead to a full-scale regional war.

“While acknowledging Israel’s right to self-defence, the EU calls on all parties to exercise utmost restraint to avoid an uncontrollable escalation, which is in no one’s interest,” the 27-nation bloc said in a statement.

Russia: ‘Catastrophic scenario’

Russia urged all sides to exercise restraint and warned of a “catastrophic scenario”.

“We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint, stop the violence and prevent events from developing into a catastrophic scenario,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, warning of an “explosive escalation”.

Saudi: ‘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.

Qatar: ‘exercise restraint’

Qatar said “Israel’s targeting” of Iran is “a flagrant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and a clear breach of the principles of international law”.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed in a statement its “deep concern about the serious repercussions that may result from this escalation”, calling on “all concerned parties to exercise restraint and resolve differences through dialogue and peaceful means”.

Bahrain: ‘deep concern’

Bahrain, which normalised relations with Israel in 2020, condemned the “military operation” against Iran, expressing “deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions” in the region.

In a statement, the Bahraini Foreign Ministry urged the concerned parties to “exercise restraint and prioritize de-escalation to prevent the expansion of war and conflict.”

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”.

Iraq: ‘Israel widening conflict’

Iraq accused Israel of expanding conflict in the Middle East and denounced global inaction.

“The occupying Zionist entity continues its aggressive policies and widening the conflict in the region through blatant attacks that it carries out with impunity,” government spokesman Basim Alawadi said in a statement, citing “the international community’s silence” on Israeli actions.

Jordan: ‘Dangerous escalation’

Jordan said the strikes were “in violation of international law and (Iran’s) sovereignty, and a dangerous escalation that leads to more tension in the region.”

Foreign ministry spokesman Sufyan Qudah called on the international community to “assume its responsibilities and take immediate measures to impose a halt to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon as a first step towards reducing the escalation”.

Turkey: End Israeli ‘terror’

Turkey condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran and called for an end to what it said was Israel’s “terror” in the region.

“Putting an end to the terror created by Israel in the region has become an historic task for the establishment of international peace and security,” the Turkish foreign ministry said.

“By committing genocide in Gaza, preparing to annex the West Bank and killing civilians every day in Lebanon, Israel has brought our region to the brink of a greater war,” it added.

Pakistan: ‘Undermining stability’

Pakistan condemned Israel’s strikes, saying it bore “full responsibility” for escalating the conflict in the Middle East.

“These strikes undermine the path to regional peace and stability and also constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region,” its foreign ministry said in a statement.

Hamas: ‘Violation of sovereignty’

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which is at war with Israel in Gaza and backed by Iran, blasted Israel.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the targeting of military sites in several provinces”, the movement said in a statement, calling the move “a blatant violation of Iranian sovereignty and an escalation that threatens the security of the region”.

Germany: ‘Stop immediately’

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned Iran against any “escalation” after Israel struck Iranian military targets.

“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,” Scholz posted on X.

Algeria, Tunisia: condemn attack

The Algerian foreign ministry “strongly condemns and denounces” Israel’s military strikes on Iran, which it called “heinous aggression”, and called on the international community to halt Israel from escalating conflict in the region.

Neighouring Tunisia similarly issued a statement warning of “severe consequences” of Israel’s strikes on Iran and calling on “the international community to urgently assume its responsibilities to put an end to this reckless approach”.

Commuters drive along a street in Tehran on October 26, 2024. Residents of Tehran awoke and went about their business as planned on October 26 after their sleep was troubled by Israeli strikes that triggered blasts that echoed across the city.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Israel bombed military targets in Iran on Saturday (October 26, 2024), killing at least two soldiers, fulfilling a vow to avenge a missile barrage and stirring fears of a full-scale West Asia war.

Israel warned Iran would “pay a heavy price” if it responded to the strikes, and the United States and Britain both demanded Tehran not escalate the conflict further.

The Islamic republic insisted it had the “right and the duty” to defend itself, while its Lebanese ally Hezbollah said it had targeted a southern Israeli airbase and a northern intelligence base.

Confirming the strikes after explosions and anti-aircraft fire echoed around Tehran, the Israel military said it had hit Iranian missile factories and military facilities in several regions.

The “retaliatory strike has been completed and the mission was fulfilled”, while Israeli aircraft “returned safely”, a military spokesman added.

Iran confirmed an Israeli attack had targeted military sites in Tehran province around the capital and other parts of the country, saying the raids caused “limited damage” but killed two soldiers.

Direct attack

“Iran has the right and the duty to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression,” the foreign ministry said, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Israel had vowed to retaliate after October 1, when Iran fired about 200 missiles in only the second ever direct attack against its arch-foe. Most of those missiles were intercepted but one person was killed.

The Israeli retaliation drew condemnation from Hamas, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Saudi Arabia, which warned against further escalation. Jordan stated that Israeli jets had not used its airspace.

Hezbollah, the Lebanese movement backed by Iran, said it had fired rockets at Israeli soldiers near the village of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon, and launched drones against Israel’s Tel Nof air base.

Tel Nof is south of Tel Aviv and, if confirmed, the drone mission would be the militia’s first attempt to hit it in this round of fighting.

Israel is already engaged in combat on two fronts.

Since last month, it has been conducting a war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, including strikes that have killed senior leadership and ground incursions seeking to destroy missile sites.

And, for more than a year since Hamas launched the October 7 cross-border attack, Israel has been fighting a war in Gaza that has caused mass civilian casualties in the densely populated Palestinian territory.

The United Nations has warned the “darkest moment” of that conflict was unfolding, with Palestinians facing a dire humanitarian crisis and daily Israeli bombing.

Along with Hezbollah and Hamas, Iranian-allied groups in Yemen, Iraq and Syria, have carried out attacks during the fallout from the Gaza war.

At roughly the same time as Israel struck targets in Iran, the Syrian state news agency SANA said an Israeli air attack targeted military positions in central and southern Syria.