ISTANBUL
Arab countries on Thursday strongly denounced Israeli airstrikes on Syria as a violation of international law and an assault on Syrian sovereignty.
In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry called the Israeli attacks “a flagrant violation of international law and a blatant infringement on Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, exploiting the internal situation in Syria.”
Egypt urged influential international actors to “shoulder their responsibilities regarding Israel’s repeated transgressions, compel Israel to end its occupation of Syrian territories and respect the 1974 disengagement agreement.”
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry termed the Israeli attacks “a blatant breach of international law, a stark violation of Syria’s sovereignty and unity and a dangerous escalation that will only fuel further conflict and tension in the region.”
The ministry reiterated Jordan’s “absolute rejection and severe condemnation” of Israel’s ongoing assaults on Syrian territory, calling them a clear violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria.
It reaffirmed the kingdom’s “full solidarity with Syria, its security, stability and sovereignty” and urged the international community to “uphold its legal and moral responsibilities, compel Israel to cease its provocative and illegitimate attacks on Syria and end its occupation of parts of its territory.”
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry called the Israeli attacks “a clear violation of Syria’s sovereignty and international law.”
The ministry urged the international community “to take immediate action to ensure Israel complies with international laws and halts its repeated attacks on Syrian territory, warning of the risk of further regional escalation.”
It reaffirmed “Qatar’s unwavering support for Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity as well as the Syrian people’s aspirations for security and stability.”
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry denounced the attacks and emphasized “the need for the international community, particularly the permanent members of the (UN) Security Council, to fulfill their role by standing resolutely against these ongoing Israeli violations in Syria and the region and to activate international accountability mechanisms.”
Iraq expressed its “severe condemnation” of the airstrikes and repeated incursions into Syrian territories.
It demanded that the international community “bear its responsibilities to stop these violations, protect civilians and respect the rights of peoples to live in security and peace.”
In a statement, Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli attacks on Syria, saying: "These assaults represent a continuation of Israel’s blatant violations of international law and international legitimacy resolutions and a dangerous escalation that could further intensify violence and tension in the region."
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) issued a strong condemnation of the strikes, calling them “a new link in a series of attempts by the Israeli occupation forces to undermine and destabilize regional and international security.”
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas said the assault on Syria was “part of the policy of arrogance and recklessness pursued by the terrorist Netanyahu government," linking it to “Israel’s fascist aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem."
Lebanon’s Hezbollah group condemned the Israeli aggression in a statement, expressing full solidarity with what it described as a "brotherly" Arab country.
“We condemn these crimes and affirm our full solidarity with brotherly Syria, dear Yemen, proud Palestine, and their peoples. We call on all free people around the world to raise their voices loudly against this unjust aggression,” it said.
Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes targeting several sites in the capital, Damascus, and the western provinces of Hama and Homs on Wednesday.
Israel’s military claimed the strikes struck “military capabilities that remained” at the Hama airbase and T4 base in Homs, along with other military infrastructure in Damascus.
The Israeli army also launched a ground offensive in Daraa in southern Syria, where at least nine people were killed, according to local authorities.
After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated a 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.
Israel also took advantage of the regime's fall to launch hundreds of strikes that targeted military sites and assets across Syria, including fighter jets, missile systems and air defense installations, according to reports.