The Ambassador of Israel to Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Roey Gilad, has accused Iran of expanding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East by attacking several Gulf States and military facilities linked to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
According to him, Iran had launched attacks on countries across the Gulf region, including Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. He said the attacks had also reached Cyprus and targeted NATO sites in Turkey and Jordan.
Speaking at a news conference in Accra on Friday, Mr Gilad said the move appeared to be part of Iran’s strategy to expand the conflict and create pressure on the United States through Arab states to force an end to the war.
He claimed that Iran had also targeted civilian infrastructure, including airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, which he said was intended to cause maximum disruption. He indicated that the attacks had demonstrated the reach of Iranian missile capabilities, warning that some missiles had already struck Cyprus, a member of the European Union.
The ambassador said the escalation had triggered strong political opposition to Iran from Arab states and the Arab League, adding that some countries were considering military action against Iran.
Mr Gilad further stated that the conflict had widened after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah joined Iran’s campaign against Israel on March 2. He explained that Hezbollah had earlier launched attacks against Israel following the October 2023 war triggered by Hamas. According to him, Israel had since pushed Hezbollah forces north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon, but the group had continued to rearm and launch attacks from positions further north.
Mr Gilad also disclosed that Israel had asked peacekeepers under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), including a Ghanaian contingent of about 900 soldiers, to remain in their bases and suspend patrols to minimise risks to the troops.
He said Israel and its allies were targeting military infrastructure, including ballistic missile and nuclear facilities in Iran, while accusing Iran of attacking civilian areas in Israel. Mr Gilad said that as of March 4, more than 180 missiles and over 120 unmanned aerial vehicles had been launched towards Israel, resulting in 11 deaths and more than 120 injuries.
He further alleged that Iran was attempting to exert economic pressure globally by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply passes.
Mr Gilad said Israel and its allies remained determined to continue the campaign against Iran’s military capabilities but acknowledged that the duration of the conflict remained uncertain.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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