Several African countries have urged Israel and Iran to proceed cautiously as tensions rise between the two Middle Eastern nations.

On Saturday night, 13 April, Iran launched a wave of more than 300 missiles and drones toward Israel. Thankfully, the vast majority of the weapons were neutralised, but the incident has left both countries at odds with each other.

Iran claims the act was done in retaliation to Israel’s attacks on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, Syria, on 1 April, which caused the death of several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers.

Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa (SA), and Somalia have joined Western nations encouraging the two countries to avoid escalating matters further.

In a statement released on the government’s official website on Sunday, 14 April, SA encouraged “that all parties must exercise the utmost restraint and avoid any act that would escalate tensions in a particularly fragile region.”

SA went on to remind the international community about the ongoing plight of the people in Gaza.

William Ruto, president of Kenya, also urged Israel “to show utmost restraint taking into account the urgent need for all parties to walk away from the brink beyond which recovery will be enormously difficult”.

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