GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — The Caribbean Community Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) has expressed grave concern about the escalating violence in the Middle East, particularly the recent direct military engagements between Israel and Iran and has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between the two nations.

In a statement on Sunday, COFCOR said it “strongly” urged Israel and Iran to halt any further military actions that could worsen the situation, endangering not only their own populations but also the broader international community. It also urged all involved parties to re-engage in diplomatic dialogue, prioritising peaceful resolutions and cooperation over military actions.

COFCOR further encouraged the international community, particularly the five veto-nations on the United Nations Security Council, “to work assiduously towards an immediate ceasefire, ensuring the provision of necessary humanitarian aid and fostering conditions conducive to a lasting peace”.

Iran launched an unprecedented attack overnight in response to a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, earlier this month.

COFCOR said in its statement that these developments not only exacerbate the already tense situation but also pose significant threats to regional stability and international peace.

“The continued cycle of retaliation, including the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, Israel’s disproportionate response in Gaza, and the alarming new dimension of direct confrontations between Israel and Iran, leads to an untenable situation fraught with potential for greater regional conflict and global instability,” it said.

“The human toll of this conflict, highlighted by tragic incidents such as deaths and injuries to children, demand an immediate and empathetic response from the global community. It is imperative that there be no further escalation that can lead to more suffering and instability.”

COFCOR implored all parties to consider the severe consequences of further conflict and to commit to diplomatic solutions that ensure the safety, sovereignty, and dignity of all people involved.

In the Iranian strike, 170 drones and more than 120 ballistic missiles were fired toward Israel in the aerial strike but “99 per cent” of them were intercepted by Israel’s aerial defence systems and its allies, according to the Israeli military, with only a small number reaching Israeli territory.

Those fell on the airbase in the south of the country and caused only light structural damage, Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.