CAIRO, March 14 (Reuters) – The Palestinian Iran-aligned militant group Hamas has called on Iran to not target neighbouring countries, while still reaffirming Tehran’s right to respond to the U.S.-Israeli attacks.
This is the first time the group has publicly commented on Iranian policies. It has expressed solidarity with Iran during the war but appeared to steer clear from threatening any retaliatory actions so far.
“While the group affirms Iran’s right to respond to this aggression by all available means in accordance with international norms and laws, it calls upon our brothers in Iran not to target neighboring countries,” it said.
It also called on all countries in the region and international organizations to immediately stop the war.
Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire in Gaza that went into effect in October, but there have been regular outbreaks of violence since then. While Israeli attacks on Gaza declined at the beginning of the war with Iran, they have since begun to rise.
The Lebanese Iran-aligned Hezbollah, meanwhile, opened fire on Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader at the start of the war. Israel has since then pounded Lebanon and targetted the group.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, which launched a military campaign against ships they perceived as affiliated with Israel in the Red Sea during the war in Gaza, have also expressed strong solidarity with Tehran. They have not yet threatened to resume attacks.
(Reporting by Jaidaa Taha; Editing by Toby Chopra)
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