Israeli strikes on Iran draw Mideast condemnation over sovereignty violation, escalation risks

CAIRO, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Israel's large-scale strike on Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday has drawn widespread condemnation across the Middle East, with governments denouncing the assault as a violation of international law and Iran's sovereignty.

In a statement, Tunisia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the attack as "a blatant violation of Iran's sovereignty and security," warning that such actions threaten peace and stability not only in the region but globally.

Tunisia expressed its solidarity with the Iranian people and called on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to take urgent and decisive action to halt the attacks and ensure accountability, the statement said.

Denouncing Israel's overnight military strikes on Iran, the Libyan Foreign Ministry in a statement said, "this serious escalation... represents a threat to the regional and international peace and security."

The ministry urges parties involved to "resolve the dispute peacefully through dialogue and diplomatic channels," the statement said.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, in separate phone conversations with his Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts, Badr Abdelatty and Ayman Safadi, condemned Israeli "military aggression" on Iran, calling for diplomatic solutions to avoid further deterioration.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry noted that Hussein and Abdelatty emphasized the importance of continuing negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, while Hussein and Safadi reiterated their rejection of further escalation and called for renewed dialogue.

The Israeli Defense Forces reported that Friday's operation struck nearly 100 sites across Iran, including targets in Tehran, Natanz, Khondab, and Khorramabad. Iranian state media reported multiple casualties, including women and children, in a Tehran residential area.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the assault aimed to cripple Iran's nuclear infrastructure, ballistic missile production and military capabilities.

Iranian state media reported the deaths of several high-ranking military officials, including Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps; Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the armed forces; and Gholam Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. Two senior Iranian nuclear scientists, Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, were also reportedly killed.