Hamas condemns US ‘aggression’ against Iraq, Syria

By Mustafa Haboush

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Hamas on Saturday condemned the US attacks on Iraq and Syria, calling them a "dangerous escalation and an infringement on the sovereignty of two Arab countries."

In a statement, the Palestinian resistance group said: “in the strongest terms the American aggression against both Iraq and Syria,” considering it “a dangerous escalation, an infringement on the sovereignty of the two Arab countries, and a threat to their security and the stability of the region.”

It said that the attack came "in service of the Israeli occupation's expansionist agenda and to cover up its horrific crimes against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."

The US administration "bears responsibility for the consequences of this brutal aggression against both Iraq and Syria," the statement added.

“Those who pour oil on the fire, we assure you that the region will not find stability, nor peace until the Zionist (Israeli) aggression, genocidal crimes and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip ceases,” Hamas said.

It called on Washington to "review its aggressive policies and respect the sovereignty of states and the interests of the Arab peoples, which will not stand idly by in the face of the crimes of genocide against our people that are being carried out in full view of the entire world."

The US began to carry out a wave of airstrikes Friday against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)-Quds Force and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria after a suicide drone attack killed three American troops in Jordan.

The strikes were conducted with numerous aircraft, including long-range bombers that launched from the US, Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. In all, more than 85 targets were hit with more than 125 precision munitions.

According to the Iraqi government, at least 16 people were killed and 25 others were injured in the American attacks on Iraq.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi