LONDON: King Abdullah of Jordan and King Hamad of Bahrain on Thursday discussed the latest developments in the Middle East, as both countries face renewed threats related to hostilities between Iran and the US, which resumed this week. During their telephone conversation the rulers emphasized the need to prevent further escalation in the region and discussed ways in which cooperation might be enhanced to achieve stability, the Jordan News Agency reported. They also discussed efforts by the UN Security Council to ensure deescalation in the region and beyond, Bahrain News Agency reported. Iran attacked Bahrain and Jordan this week following the resumption of its conflict with the US and Israel. Since the war began on Feb. 28, Iran has also targeted Syria, Iraq, Qatar, Turkiye, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE. None of the targeted nations are direct parties to the conflict. Hostilities have paused for short periods over the past six months to allow for negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, which stalled, as well as the flow of oil and other trade shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which has largely remained blocked to international shipping during the conflict. The latest lull ended when the US military resumed strikes against Iranian military targets this week, including air-defense sites, radar systems and maritime assets.