CAIRO, March 14 (Reuters) – The Iran-aligned Palestinian militant group Hamas called on Iran not to target its neighbors while reiterating Tehran’s right to respond to U.S. and Israeli attacks.
This is the first time the organization has publicly commented on Iran policy. It has expressed solidarity with Iran during the war but so far does not appear to have threatened any retaliatory action.
“While the organization affirms Iran’s right to respond to this act of aggression with all available means in accordance with international norms and laws, it calls on our Iranian brothers not to target neighboring countries,” the statement said.
It also called on all countries and international organizations in the region to immediately cease the war.
Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire in Gaza that came into effect in October, but violence has erupted regularly since then. While Israeli attacks on Gaza declined at the start of the war with Iran, they have since increased.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Iran-aligned Hezbollah opened fire on Israel on March 2 in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader at the start of the war. Since then, Israel has attacked Lebanon and targeted the group.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, who launched military operations in the Red Sea during the Gaza war against ships they believed to be linked to Israel, also expressed strong solidarity with Tehran. They have not yet threatened to resume attacks.
(Reporting by Jaida Taha; Editing by Toby Chopra)
