GAZA CITY, Palestine

Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Saturday condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, calling them a "blatant violation of sovereignty" and an act of "escalation targeting the region’s security and the safety of its people."

"We strongly condemn the Zionist aggression against Iran, which targeted military sites across several provinces,” it said in a statement.

Hamas asserted that the attack "violates Iranian sovereignty" and escalates the situation in a way that jeopardizes regional stability, holding Israel "responsible for the consequences of this US-backed aggression."

The Palestinian group expressed solidarity with Iran in the face of "the arrogance and lawlessness of the Zionist entity.”

At least two Iranian soldiers were killed Saturday when the Israeli army targeted Iranian military facilities in response to Iran's large-scale Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel.

The White House said Israel’s strikes must bring to an end direct exchanges of fire between the two sides, warning Tehran of “consequences” should it respond.

Iranian military officials had previously warned that any attack from Israel would be met with a “harsher response.”

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi