Live blog: US says Iran shouldn't respond to Israel strikes

Sunday, October 27, 2024

2253 GMT — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned Tehran against responding to Israel's strikes on military sites in Iran and said he stressed in a call to his Israeli counterpart the opportunities to de-escalate tensions in the region.

"Iran should not make the mistake of responding to Israel's strikes, which should mark the end of this exchange," Austin said in a statement.

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2102 GMT — Muslim scholar body slams Israeli attack on Iran

The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) condemned Israel's pre-dawn attack against Iran, calling it a criminal act that threatens to ignite a broader regional conflict.

The group, in a statement, questioned the international community's "shameful silence" in the face of "the tyranny of the Zionist entity," urging Islamic nations and "free peoples" to take immediate action to counter the aggression.

The Union urged Islamic and international governments to take decisive and immediate action to prevent humanitarian disasters that endanger international peace and security.

2115 GMT — Hamas condemns Israeli 'crime' against residential block in Beit Lahia

Hamas condemned an Israeli attack on a residential area in the town of Beit Lahia in the northern besieged Gaza.

"The brutal crime carried out by the terrorist occupation army in Beit Lahiya … represents one of the most horrific forms of genocide and forced displacement known in modern times," according to a statement by the Palestinian resistance group. "This crime is a continuation of the ongoing massacres against our people in northern Gaza, without the world moving to stop them."

Hamas held "Washington and the complicit capitals responsible for the ongoing massacres and extermination in northern Gaza."

For our live updates from Saturday, October 26, 2024, click here.