From Saudi Arabia To United States: World Reacts To Israel’s Strikes On Iran

The Israeli military launched strikes on military bases in Iran, targeting approximately 20 sites across Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran. This latest development is part of a series of exchanges between the two nations that have sparked fears of an all-out regional war .

The Iranian army confirmed two soldiers were killed after it said the attacks on Saturday targeted military bases but resulted in only “limited damage”.

The Israeli army has announced that the operation is complete, and military spokesman Daniel Hagari said that if Iran carries out retaliatory strikes, Israel will be “obligated to respond”.

Here are some world reactions on Israel’s attack on Iran:

Saudi Arabia 

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia denounced the strikes as a "violation of Iran's sovereignty" and international laws, urging all parties to “exercise the utmost restraint and reduce escalation”.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, “The Kingdom affirms its firm position in its rejection of the continued escalation in the region and the expansion of the conflict that threatens the security and stability of the countries and peoples of the region.”

Former rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia have repaired relations in recent years, while the kingdom's efforts to normalise its relations with Israel have largely collapsed since the beginning of the war on Gaza in October 2023.

Russia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, warned of "the ongoing explosive escalation"  in the region.

“We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint, stop the violence and prevent events from developing into a catastrophic scenario.”

“It is necessary to stop provoking Iran into retaliatory actions and get out of the spiral of uncontrolled escalation,” she added.

United States

US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett told reporters, "We urge Iran to cease its attacks on Israel so that this cycle of fighting can end without further escalation."

“Their response was an exercise in self-defence 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,” he added.

Qatar

The attack was a “blatant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and a clear breach of international law,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Its statement expressed “deep concern regarding the serious repercussions that may result from this escalation” and urged all parties “to exercise restraint, resolve disputes through dialogue and peaceful means, and avoid anything that could destabilise security and stability in the region”.

Turkey

“Israel, which is committing genocide in Gaza, preparing to annex the West Bank, and killing civilians every day in Lebanon, has now brought our region to the brink of a wider war with this attack,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

“It is now clear that putting an end to Israeli terror in the region has become a historic task to ensure international security and peace,” it added in a statement.

Germany

“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,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz posted on X.

United Kingdom

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Iran should not respond to a wave of Israeli strikes, urging restraint on all sides.

“I am clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression. I’m equally clear that we need to avoid further regional escalation and urge all sides to show restraint. Iran should not respond,” he told a news conference in Samoa, where he has been attending a Commonwealth leaders’ meeting.

Pakistan

The Israeli military strikes “against the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Iran “are a grave violation of the UN Charter and the international law”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The attacks “undermine path to regional peace and stability and also constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region,” the ministry statement said. It added that “Israel bears full responsibility for the current cycle of escalation and expansion of the conflict in the region”.