‘Serious escalation’: Qatar, Saudi, Turkiye, other Muslim nations react to Iran’s drone raids on Israel

* Hezbollah, Houthi praise Iran’s ‘legitimate act’

The Arabian Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar on Sunday joined other Muslim countries such as Egypt, Turkiye, Pakistan, Malaysia, among others to express “serious concern” after Iran launched explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel in its first direct attack on Israeli territory.

Tehran had been threatening to attack Israel after an air raid on April 1, widely blamed on Israel, destroyed Iran’s consulate in Syria, killing 13 people, including two elite Iranian generals.

The Israeli forces said in a statement early on Sunday the “vast majority” of missiles launched from Iran were intercepted outside of Israel’s borders.

Tensions between Israel and Iran have soared since Israel’s six-month war in the Gaza Strip.

Here is how the Muslim leaders reacted to Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel:

Egypt

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “deep concern” at the escalation of hostilities and called for “maximum restraint”.

Its statement also warned of the “risk of the regional expansion of the conflict”, and added that Egypt would be “in direct contact with all parties to the conflict to try and contain the situation”.

Jordan

Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh said any escalation in the region would lead to “dangerous paths” and said that there was a need to reduce escalation by all parties.

In remarks to the cabinet, Khasawneh said the country’s armed forces would confront any attempt by any party that sought to endanger the kingdom’s security.

Lebanon

Lebanese group Hezbollah praised Iran’s attack on Israel, describing it as a “brave” decision.

Iran-backed Hezbollah added in a statement that Iran had exercised its legal rights despite “threats, intimidation and pressure”.

Malaysia

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim dubbed Iran’s attack as a “consequence of the Israeli government breaking international laws” by bombing the Iranian consulate on April 1.

He said the violence between the two regional rivals was not “good for the world economy and peace,” local English daily Malay Mail reported.

“The war between Iran and Israel that started after the Zionist Israeli government attacked the Iranian embassy, which is against international law, is a consequence of one’s actions. When you break the law you invite a reaction.”

Pakistan

“Today’s developments demonstrate the consequences of the breakdown of diplomacy,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“These also underline the ‘grave’ implications in cases where the UN Security Council is unable to fulfil its responsibilities of maintaining international peace and security.”

For months, it added, Pakistan has underlined the necessity of international efforts to prevent expansion of hostilities in the region and for a cease-fire in Gaza.

“It’s now critically urgent to stabilise the situation and restore peace. We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint,” it concluded.

Qatar

The Gulf nation called on all concerned parties to stop the escalation and exercise utmost restraint.

In a statement, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “its deep concern about the developments in the region”.

It called on “all parties to halt escalation, promote calm and exercise maximum restraint”.

It urged “the international community to take urgent action to defuse tension and de-escalate the situation in the region”.

Statement : Qatar Expresses Deep Concern about Regional Developments, Calls for De-Escalation, Restraint#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/64QS07pUoU

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) April 14, 2024

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement voicing its concern at the “military escalation” and calling on “all parties to exercise utmost restraint and spare the region and its peoples from the dangers of war”.

It went on to urge the UN Security Council “to assume its responsibility towards maintaining international peace and security”.

Turkiye 

Turkiye does not want further escalation of tension in the region after Iran’s drone and missile attack against Israel, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan told his Iranian counterpart in a phone call on Sunday, Turkish diplomatic sources told Reuters.

Anadolu Agency reported Fidan held a call with UK’s Cameron “adding that both officials agreed that the region should not see any further escalation”, according to diplomatic sources.

Yemen

Yemen’s armed Houthi movement said on Sunday that Iran’s attack on Israel was a legitimate act in response to a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1.

A Houthi spokesman added that the Yemeni group had been in direct confrontation with Israel since October 7, by attacking the southern Israeli port of Eilat with missiles and drones and by preventing Israeli ships from sailing through the Red Sea.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA