Middle East Trepidation: Arabs Watch Israel-Iran Conflict Unfold

Regional Reactions to Israel-Iran Conflict

• 🇯🇴 In Jordan, citizens gathered on rooftops, drawn by sirens, to witness missiles flying towards Israel, expressing happiness due to perceived Israeli actions in Gaza.
• 🇯🇴 Jordan has formal diplomatic ties with Israel and officially intercepted Iranian missiles and drones in its airspace to prevent them from falling on its territory.

Fear of Escalation in Iraq and Beyond

• 🇮🇶 In Iraq, citizens expressed trepidation, hoping their country would not be dragged into the war and would maintain a non-interfering stance.
• 🌍 These fears of being drawn into the conflict are shared across the Middle East, with most countries attempting to avoid direct involvement despite Israeli military actions in their skies.

Arab States' Stance and Saudi-Iran Relations

• 🌍 Leaders from over 20 Arab states jointly condemned Israel's military strikes against Iran.
• 🇸🇦🇮🇷 Saudi Arabia and Iran, traditionally rivals, have maintained a cautious rapprochement since 2023.

Houthi Support and Hezbollah's Position

• 🇾🇪 The Iranian-backed Houthi group in Yemen is an outlier, announcing attacks on Israel in coordination with Iran and expressing support for Iran's actions.
• 🇱🇧 Lebanon's president emphasized the country's need to stay out of the conflict.
• 🇱🇧 Hezbollah, Iran's powerful ally, has not intervened to aid Iran, having been significantly weakened in its recent conflict with Israel.