Amid the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, the Nigerian government has issued a call for both nations to exercise restraint and pursue diplomatic avenues to resolve their differences, News About Nigeria reports.
Iran launched hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles, along with explosive drones targeting Israel, over the weekend.
This action was seen as retaliation against Israel’s alleged killing of some of Iran’s top military personnel in Syria.
In response to this, Nigeria’s foreign ministry released a statement urging both Israel and Iran to show restraint and prioritise peaceful solutions.
The statement stressed the importance of diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and prevent further escalation in the Middle East.
At a United Nations Security Council meeting convened on Sunday to address the heightened tensions, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all member states to intervene and engage both Israel and Iran in dialogue to avert a larger conflict.
The recent exchange of hostilities was reportedly sparked by Iran’s retaliation for the killing of three commanders in its consulate in Syria on April 1.
The attack, codenamed “Operation True Promise,” is the first-ever direct assault by Iran on Israeli territory from Iranian soil.
The aerial onslaught began on Saturday night and continued into the early hours of Sunday, with explosions reported in cities across Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
News About Nigeria gathered that air raid sirens sounded in over 720 locations as Israeli forces scrambled to intercept the barrage of missiles and drones.
According to Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari, Iran’s attack involved more than 120 ballistic missiles, 170 drones, and over 30 cruise missiles.
Despite the overwhelming volume of projectiles, the majority were intercepted outside Israel’s borders with assistance from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
Jordan also intercepted some missiles flying through its airspace.
While most of the projectiles were thwarted, a small number managed to hit Israeli territory, causing minor damage to infrastructure and injuring several individuals.
