World leaders condemn Iranian missile strikes on Israel, call for de-escalation

All Israeli civilians are in bomb shelters as rockets from Iran are fired at Israel. pic.twitter.com/bKXPdqMsBr

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 1, 2024

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordan’s King Abdullah, discussing the security situation following the attack. Sky News reported that Starmer expressed solidarity with Israel, while Jordan’s air defence forces intercepted missiles and drones that had entered their airspace, according to the country’s Public Security Directorate.

Germany’s Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, demanded an immediate halt to Iran’s assault, warning of the severe consequences of escalation. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), she stated: “I condemn the ongoing attack in the strongest possible terms. Iran must stop the attack immediately as it is leading the region further towards the abyss.”

Israel wird in diesen Stunden von Iran mit Raketen angegriffen. Den laufenden Angriff verurteile ich auf das Allerschärfste. Wir haben Iran vor dieser gefährlichen Eskalation eindringlich gewarnt. Iran muss den Angriff sofort einstellen. Er führt die Region weiter an den Abgrund.

— Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) October 1, 2024

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier echoed similar concerns, describing the situation as “extremely serious” during a parliamentary session. Barnier warned of a “worsening conflict” in the Middle East and an “escalation” between Iran and Israel.

The White House announced that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were monitoring the developments closely from the Situation Room. Biden directed the US military to assist Israel in defending against Iranian missiles and instructed forces to intercept any further missile attacks.

As tensions continue to rise, the global community remains on high alert, with calls for diplomacy and restraint to prevent further deterioration of the situation.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan condemned Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel as a significant escalation, highlighting that Israel successfully thwarted the attack without any loss of life.

Speaking at the White House, Sullivan emphasised that there would be “severe consequences” for Iran’s actions and assured that the US would continue to work closely with Israel on the response. He also noted that the Biden administration was monitoring the situation and tracking the reported death of a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank.

Meanwhile, Gaza based Hamas militant group hailed Iranian missile strikes as “heroic”. In a statement on Tuesday, Hamas praised Iran’s missile strikes on Israel, calling them a “heroic” response to the deaths of its leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah’s Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and Iranian Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan.

“We congratulate the heroic rocket launch carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, on large areas of our occupied territories, in response to the occupation’s continuing crimes against the peoples of the region, and in retaliation for the blood of our nation’s heroic martyrs”, Hamas said as reported by Reuters.

This statement highlights Hamas’ alignment with Iran’s actions and its commitment to opposing Israel.