Egyptian, Iraqi FMs discuss ongoing military escalation in Middle East

CAIRO – 6 February 2024: Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry received Monday a phone call from his Iraqi counterpart Fouad Hussein as they conferred over the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East, particularly the recent incidents in Syria and Iraq, as well as the Gaza War.

The White House announced on February 3 that the United States had conducted airstrikes on 85 targets belonging to Iran-affiliated militias across seven locations in Iraq and Syria. The strikes lasted for 30 minutes and were in retaliation to attacks on U.S. troops in Jordan, which killed three and wounded over 40, as reported by the CNN.

Minister Shokry reiterated the necessity of containing regional tensions in order to avoid the expansion of conflict that originated in Gaza. The Egyptian minister also underlined the salience of sufficiently supplying aid to Gazans who are enduring a horrendous humanitarian crisis.