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| The port of Fujairah in the UAE, home to a major oil export terminal, was hit a drone strike on Saturday (Image: AFP/ Getty Images) |
The Palestinian armed group Hamas has called on Iran to stop its attacks on Gulf states, in a rare appeal to its key ally.
In a statement, the Tehran-backed group urged its "brothers in Iran to avoid targeting neighbouring countries", saying all regional nations should co-operate "to preserve the bonds of brotherhood".
At the same time, Hamas, which runs Gaza, affirmed Tehran's right to defend itself against attacks by the US and Israel, which are continuing to strike Iran.
Although numerous attacks have targeted civilian infrastructure, the Iranian authorities have claimed that their own retaliatory strikes target "American installations" on Gulf soil rather than the neighbors themselves.
Hamas said that it was "following with deep concern the ongoing war in the region" in a statement on Saturday. "All states and international organizations are urged to work toward halting [the war] immediately," it stated. Iran has not provided any public responses to Hamas's statement. Over the past two weeks, many of Iran's Gulf neighbors have felt the effects of its retaliatory drone and missile strikes. So far, at least 18 people have died in the region, most of whom were foreign workers or security guards. Six people have been killed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and another six in Kuwait, while Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have all reported two deaths in each of their countries.
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In terms of funding, weapons, and political support, Iran is Hamas's biggest supporter. The assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28, the first day of the war, was previously condemned by the Palestinian group as a "heinous crime." Iran's "axis of resistance," a loose coalition formed to combat US and Israeli influence, includes Hamas. Hamas also receives significant financial and political support from Turkey and Qatar, which have recently been the targets of Iranian attacks. Over the course of more than two years, the group waged a devastating war in the Gaza Strip against Israel. In October, the United States imposed a ceasefire, and talks about the deal's final stages are still ongoing. Since October, Israel and Hamas have accused each other of frequently violating the ceasefire agreement. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 649 people have died in Gaza since the ceasefire began.
Source: BBC
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