CAIRO/TEHRAN/JERUSALEM, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Various parties, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar on Friday strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets earlier in the day.
Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strike as "a blatant, extremely dangerous regional escalation, a flagrant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, and a direct threat to regional and international peace and security."
The ministry stressed that "the arrogance of force will not achieve security for any country in the region," while only political and peaceful solutions can solve regional crises.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, expressed grave concerns over the escalation and its potential repercussions on regional security and stability, stressing the importance of exercising the utmost self-restraint and sound judgment to mitigate risks and prevent the expansion of the conflict, the Emirates News Agency reported.
The ministry underscored the need to settle disputes through diplomatic means rather than confrontation and escalation, calling on the UN Security Council to take urgent and necessary steps to secure a ceasefire and strengthen international peace and security.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry described Israel's move as a "flagrant violation of Iran's sovereignty" and a "clear breach of international law and established norms."
"The continuation of such aggressive policies threatens to derail diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and peaceful resolution of ongoing crises," the ministry said in a statement, calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint.
Palestinian movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad strongly condemned Israel's attacks on Iran, warning that the escalation could push the region toward open conflict.
In a press statement, Hamas said the attack constituted a "blatant violation of international norms and conventions," calling for a unified stance by Arab and Islamic nations to "deter the occupation and end (Israel's) ongoing violations."
Islamic Jihad described the attack as a "dangerous development" that could mark the beginning of a new phase of confrontation in the region, accusing the Israeli leadership of acting to realize "religious ambitions" and exploit regional resources.
Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it completed a large-scale strike against Iran's aerial defense array in western Iran on Friday, destroying dozens of radars and surface-to-air missile launchers, as well as Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Israel.
"These strikes enhance the Israeli Air Force's freedom of aerial operation," the statement said.
Military operations will continue to destroy Iran's nuclear program and eliminate threats to Israel, said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in a statement, warning that the deaths of multiple senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists sent "a strong and clear message -- those who work to destroy Israel will be eliminated."
At least six Iranian nuclear scientists and academics were killed in Israeli airstrikes overnight. Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that the victims included Abdolhamid Minoochehr, Ahmad Reza Zolfaqari, Matlabizadeh, deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Seyed Amir Hossein Feqhi, president of Islamic Azad University Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi, and former AEOI head Fereydoon Abbasi.
Dozens of flights were suspended or canceled on Friday across airports in the Middle East, as several nations closed their airspaces following the latest escalation.
Airlines in the UAE halted operations to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran, as flights to other countries, including Israel, Syria, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia, were also affected. ■
