Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday urged a halt to escalation and return to dialogue after Iranian missiles targeted countries across the Gulf.
On a call “both sides emphasized the necessity of an immediate halt to any escalatory actions and a return to the dialogue table to preserve regional security and prevent a slide toward broader confrontations,” the office of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said in a statement.
Egypt says it is deeply concerned about “the serious military escalation” in the region following the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement that the escalation risks expanding the conflict, which could lead to “comprehensive chaos” across the Middle East.
The ministry said a military solution will only lead to more violence, and that “diplomacy and dialogue” is the sole option for Mideast security and stability. The ministry also condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries.
Iranian leaders targeted
Two people familiar with the operation, including a U.S. official and a person briefed on the attacks, said the targets of the Israeli strikes included members of Iran’s leadership.
There was no word on whether the attacks were successful. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing classified information on an ongoing operation
Jordan
Jordan’s state news agency says the military shot down Saturday two ballistic missiles that were targeting Jordanian territories.
The agency said authorities received 12 calls regarding the fall of shrapnel and falling objects in areas including the capital Amman as well as the cities of Irbid, Zarqa Madaba and Jarash.
Iranians flock to supermarkets
In northern Tehran, supermarkets are seeing a surge of customers seeking bread and bottled water.
However, supply has been limited, and some of the items most in demand, including bread, eggs, bottled water and milk, are currently unavailable in certain stores.
Long queues have also been observed at gas stations across the city.
State television showed footage from one of Tehran’s highways, Soleimani highway, where extremely heavy traffic was visible on west-to-east routes.
AP
