Arab League urges restraint as regional tensions escalate

The Arab League has gathered in Cairo against a backdrop of rising regional tensions, with maritime security in the Gulf and Israeli military operations in Lebanon among the key concerns.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed the importance of keeping shipping routes open, saying maritime corridors should not be used as tools of pressure or escalation.

“We emphasise the necessity of freedom of navigation,” Abdelatty said, while rejecting the use of maritime routes to increase pressure or tensions.

The Arab League has also condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon. At least 12 people, including women and children, were killed in Monday’s attacks, according to the information presented at the meeting.

Arab League Secretary General Nabil Fahmy said Arab states remained open to balanced relations with Iran, but stressed that such ties must respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity and avoid interference in internal affairs.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji strongly condemned Israeli attacks, accusing Israel of violating Lebanon’s sovereignty and international law. He said the conflict had caused thousands of deaths and injuries and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

Meanwhile, an Arab ministerial committee has called for stronger political, diplomatic and economic action to halt what it described as Israeli violations in occupied Jerusalem and to protect the city’s Islamic and Christian holy sites.