China condemns US-Israel strikes targeting Iranian civilians

Beijing (ANTARA) - The Chinese government has strongly condemned the United States and Israel strikes that targeted public facilities, killing civilians, and emphasised that this is a red line that must not be crossed. “China is very saddened by the high civilian casualties caused by the US and Israel attacks on Iran. We strongly condemn this. The protection of civilians in armed conflict is a red line and must not be crossed,” said Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Beijing, on Tuesday (3/3). The air strikes by the US and Israel on Saturday (28/2) were reported to have hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh Special Girls’ Primary School in Minab city, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran, killing up to 165 people. “The indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable. China calls on all parties to uphold their obligations under international law, effectively ensure civilian safety, and avoid attacks on civilian facilities,” Mao Ning added. The US-Israel attack on Iran, Mao Ning said, lacked authorization from the UN Security Council and violated international law. “China is deeply concerned about its regional impact. China believes that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf states must also be fully respected. We urge all parties to cease military operations and prevent the further spread of the conflict,” she said. The US-Israel strikes also killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran launched missile strikes into Israeli territory and also targeted United States military infrastructure in the Middle East. The US Department of State on Monday (2/3) urged American citizens to depart the Middle East region promptly due to serious security risks. The locations categorised as having a “serious security risk” include Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen. “The overt military strikes against Iran launched by the US and Israel have heightened regional tensions and spread to other countries in the region. China is very concerned about this,” Mao Ning said. She added that China believes that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf states must be fully respected, and that any attack on innocent civilians and non-military targets must be condemned. “China urges all parties to immediately halt military operations and prevent further spread of the conflict. China is prepared to cooperate with regional countries and the international community to promote peace, halt the conflict, and actively work to achieve peace and stability in the region,” Mao Ning stated. The US strike on Iran was acknowledged by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as an attempt to act preemptively before Tehran could respond to an anticipated Israeli attack. “We know that if Iran is attacked—and we are confident that it will happen, they will strike back at us soon—and we will not simply stand by and accept an attack before we respond,” he said. However, according to media reports, Pentagon officials told Congress staff in a closed briefing on Sunday that there was no intelligence indicating Iran planned to strike American forces first. Israel had previously announced what it called a “preemptive” strike against Iran on Saturday (28/2) in the early hours local time, named “Operation Lion’s Roar”, and had declared a nationwide “special and immediate” state of emergency. The attack occurred as talks between the United States and Iran over Iran’s nuclear program were ongoing under mediation by Oman, with the latest round in Geneva ending on Thursday (26/2).