CAIRO, June 16. /TASS/. The armed conflict between Israel and Iran will have serious repercussions for the security of the entire Middle East, so the Jewish state needs to stop its strikes, 20 Arab and Islamic foreign ministers said in a joint statement.
In a joint statement, published by the Foreign Ministry of Egypt, the top diplomats affirm "the imperative need to halt Israeli hostilities against Iran, which come during a time of increasing tension in the Middle East, and to work towards de-escalation, to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and restoration of calm, while expressing great concern regarding this dangerous escalation, which threatens to have serious consequences on the peace and stability of the entire region."
The document was signed by the foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, the Gambia, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, the Union of the Comoros, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey and Chad.
Overnight into June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion targeting Iran’s nuclear program. Iran responded in less than 24 hours. In the following days, Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged strikes again. Both parties reported casualties and damage, and admitted that a number of facilities had been hit, but said the damage was limited.