NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia joined the US and regional partners to strongly condemn Iran’s recent missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, calling them a “dangerous escalation” that threatens regional stability.

In a joint statement, the governments of the Kingdom, the US, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE denounced what they described as “indiscriminate and reckless missile and drone attacks against sovereign territories across the region.”

The statement said the strikes targeted multiple countries, “endangered civilian populations, and damaged civilian infrastructure.”

It continued: “The Islamic Republic’s actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability,” adding that “the targeting of civilians and of countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing behavior.”

The seven governments said they “stand united in defense of our citizens, sovereignty, and territory,” reaffirming their “right to self-defense in the face of these attacks.”

They also praised the “effective air and missile defense cooperation” among partners, saying it had prevented “far greater loss of life and destruction.”