The Palestinian armed group Hamas has issued a rare appeal to its key ally, Iran, urging Tehran to halt its attacks on Gulf states. Hamas, which governs Gaza, stated that "brothers in Iran" should avoid targeting neighboring countries and called for regional cooperation to "preserve the bonds of brotherhood."
Despite the plea, Hamas affirmed Iran's right to defend itself against ongoing strikes by the US and Israel. Iran has stated its retaliatory actions target "American installations" but have resulted in civilian infrastructure damage and casualties across the region. Over the past two weeks, at least 18 people have been killed in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Hamas, heavily backed by Iran in terms of funds, weapons, and political support, is currently engaged in ceasefire negotiations with Israel following a protracted conflict in Gaza.