Global leaders condemn Israel's deadly strikes against Iran

The US and Britain called for "de-escalation" after Israel on Saturday hit military targets across Iran in deadly strikes as Muslim countries warned Israel for exacerbating the conflict.

Israeli planes hit military bases, missile sites, and other systems in several Iranian regions in response for a missile barrage earlier this month. Iran said two soldiers died in the attacks.

The United States urged Iran on Saturday to stop attacking Israel to break the cycle of violence "without further escalation".

Israel's "response was an exercise in self-defense 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," National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett told reporters, stressing that the United States did not participate in the operation.

"It is our aim to accelerate diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region," he said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for "de-escalation" and said Iran should not respond to Israel's strikes.

"I think we need to be really clear that Israel does have the right to defend itself, but we are urging, and have been urging all sides to show restraint, and that is why I am very clear today, Iran should not be responding to this," Starmer said.

Saudi Arabia condemned Israel and warned against any further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation" of the Israeli strikes, the foreign ministry said, repeating its "firm position rejecting escalation of the conflict in the region", which "threatens the security and the stability of countries and peoples" in the Middle East.

Syria expressed its "solidarity" with its ally Iran.

The foreign ministry said it supported "Iran's legitimate right to defend itself and protect its territory and the lives of its citizens".

Iraq accused Israel of expanding conflict in the Middle East and denounced global inaction.

"The occupying Zionist entity continues its aggressive policies and widening the conflict in the region through blatant attacks that it carries out with impunity," government spokesman Basim Alawadi said in a statement, citing "the international community's silence" on Israeli actions.

Jordan said the strikes were "in violation of international law and (Iran's) sovereignty, and a dangerous escalation that leads to more tension in the region."

Foreign ministry spokesman Sufyan Qudah called on the international community to "assume its responsibilities and take immediate measures to impose a halt to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon as a first step towards reducing the escalation".

Pakistan condemned Israel's strikes, saying it bore "full responsibility" for escalating the conflict in the Middle East.

"These strikes undermine the path to regional peace and stability and also constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region," its foreign ministry said in a statement.

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which is at war with Israel in Gaza and backed by Iran, blasted Israel.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the targeting of military sites in several provinces", the movement said in a statement, calling the move "a blatant violation of Iranian sovereignty and an escalation that threatens the security of the region".