Hamas urges Iran to stop attacks on Gulf states amid widening regional conflict

The Palestinian group Hamas has urged Iran to halt attacks on neighbouring Gulf states, while simultaneously expressing support for Tehran’s right to respond to military strikes by the United States and Israel.

In a statement issued on March 14, Hamas called on what it described as “the brothers in Iran” to refrain from targeting nearby countries even as the regional conflict intensifies. The group emphasised that Iran has the right to defend itself “by all available means” against what it termed “American-Zionist aggression.”

The appeal comes as missile and drone attacks linked to Iran have increasingly affected countries across the Gulf region during the ongoing war. Several states hosting US military assets have reported strikes, interceptions of missiles and drones, and damage to infrastructure as the conflict expands beyond the immediate battlefield.

Hamas officials said the movement has been in contact with Iranian authorities over the attacks and has also reached out to governments in countries including Qatar, Turkey, and Iraq to push for diplomatic efforts to stop the war.

Despite the appeal, Hamas reiterated its political and ideological alignment with Iran, which has long been a key supporter of the Palestinian group. Hamas condemned the ongoing military campaign against Iran and urged the international community to act to halt the conflict.

The war has escalated significantly since late February, when coordinated US-Israeli strikes targeted multiple Iranian sites. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region, including against US-linked facilities and shipping routes in the Gulf.

The widening hostilities have raised fears that the conflict could draw in more regional players and threaten vital energy infrastructure and shipping lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil trade.

Observers say Hamas’s statement reflects the delicate balance the group is attempting to maintain—supporting its strategic ally Iran while trying to avoid further destabilisation of the wider Middle East.