KUALA LUMPUR – Responding to the recent attacks by Israel on several of its neighbouring nations, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has issued a strong call for urgent de-escalation of the heightening tension destabilising the Middle East.
In a post on X, the prime minister expressed concern over the continued aggression and attacks by Israel in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, labelling these actions as deliberate distractions from the ongoing aggressions faced by Palestinians on occupied land.
Anwar highlighted that this escalation appears to serve the political interests of Israel’s current leadership, risking further innocent lives for the sake of political survival.
He warned that if not addressed, the situation could spiral into a dangerous cycle of violence, drawing more parties into the conflict and exacerbating instability in the region.
Anwar also said Malaysia is urging all involved parties to take immediate steps to reduce hostilities and foster conditions that would prevent a wider regional conflict.
Malaysia strongly calls on all parties in the Middle East to urgently de-escalate the heightening tensions that are destabilising the region.
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) October 2, 2024
The continued aggression and attacks by Israel in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen are deliberate attempts to divert the global community’s focus… pic.twitter.com/K6JQzdSJSB
The call reflected Malaysia’s commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East as well as its support for Palestine.
Yesterday, Iran launched dozens of missiles against the Israeli regime, where it aimed at military targets.
In a statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said the missile attack was a retaliation against Israel for the various assassinations they carried out and the crimes they did in Palestine and Lebanon.
“In response to the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforushan, we targeted the heart of the occupied territories,” IRGC said.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his country’s missile attack on Israel was based on legitimate rights against the Zionist regime’s aggression.
In a dangerous escalation last week, the Israeli military assassinated Nasrallah, Nilforushan, and other Hezbollah leaders – wiping out an entire densely populated southern Beirut neighbourhood by reportedly dropping 85 American bombs, each weighing 1,000kg.
Israel said Iran fired about 180 missiles but claimed that a large number of them were intercepted by its air defence systems.
Israel has killed about 42,000 people in Gaza and more than 1,000 in Lebanon in less than 12 months. – October 2, 2024