Hamas has issued a rare call for Iran to halt its attacks on Gulf countries, signaling concern over the widening regional conflict.
The Tehran-backed group urged its “brothers in Iran to avoid targeting neighbouring countries,” stressing that all nations in the region should cooperate “to preserve the bonds of brotherhood.” At the same time, Hamas reaffirmed Iran’s right to defend itself against ongoing strikes by the United States and Israel.
Iranian authorities have maintained that their retaliatory strikes are aimed at “American installations” in the Gulf rather than neighbouring nations, but many attacks have damaged civilian infrastructure.
Hamas said on Saturday it was “following with deep concern the ongoing war in the region” and called on “all states and international organisations to work towards halting [the war] immediately.” Tehran has not publicly responded to the appeal.
In the past two weeks, Iranian drone and missile attacks have affected several Gulf states, leaving at least 18 people dead, mostly security personnel and foreign workers. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait each reported six fatalities, while Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain reported two deaths in each country.
Iran is Hamas’s main supporter, providing funding, weapons, and political backing. The Palestinian group had previously condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28, describing it as a “heinous crime.”
Hamas is part of Iran’s “axis of resistance,” a coalition aimed at countering US and Israeli influence, and also receives support from Turkey and Qatar. The group fought a prolonged war with Israel in Gaza, which ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in October. Since then, both sides have accused each other of repeated violations.
The Hamas-run health ministry reports that 649 people have died in Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect.
