Militant group breaks silence on Iranian policy
In an unprecedented move, Hamas has publicly appealed to its Iranian allies to refrain from launching strikes against countries bordering the Islamic Republic, even as the Palestinian militant organisation maintained that Tehran retains the legal right to defend itself against ongoing US-Israeli military operations.
The statement represents a significant departure for the group, which has until now avoided commenting directly on Iran's strategic decisions despite maintaining close ties with Tehran throughout the conflict. Hamas has consistently expressed solidarity with Iran but has carefully avoided endorsing or encouraging any specific retaliatory measures.
"While the group affirms Iran's right to respond to this aggression by all available means in accordance with international norms and laws, it calls upon our brothers in Iran not to target neighbouring countries."
The organisation simultaneously issued an appeal to all regional governments and international bodies to take immediate steps to bring the hostilities to an end, signalling growing concern within the movement about the widening scope of the conflict.
Trump intensifies rhetoric as diplomatic window narrows
US President Donald Trump has dramatically escalated his language regarding the military campaign, threatening additional bombardment of Iran's strategically vital Kharg Island oil export facility. He also pressed allied nations to dispatch naval vessels to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which a substantial portion of the world's energy supplies pass. Tehran has responded by pledging to step up its own military actions.
With the US-Israeli campaign against Iran now entering its third week, Trump claimed American forces had "totally demolished" large portions of the island and suggested further attacks could follow. In remarks to NBC News on Saturday, the president struck a provocative tone, stating: "We may hit it a few more times just for fun." The comments represented a notable shift from his earlier assurances that only military installations on Kharg were being targeted, and they appeared to undermine ongoing diplomatic channels.
Despite the aggressive posture, Trump indicated that Iranian officials seemed willing to negotiate an end to hostilities but maintained that the proposed terms remained insufficient. The conflict shows little sign of abating, with broader regional tensions continuing to mount. Israel and Hamas had previously reached a ceasefire agreement in Gaza that took effect in October, though sporadic violence has persisted. Notably, while Israeli military operations in Gaza initially decreased when the Iran conflict began, they have since resumed at an increasing pace.
The regional fallout has drawn in other Iran-aligned forces as well. Lebanon's Hezbollah launched strikes against Israel on 2 March in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader at the outset of the war, prompting fierce Israeli bombardment of Lebanese territory. Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi movement, which had previously conducted a naval campaign against vessels it deemed linked to Israel in the Red Sea during the Gaza conflict, has voiced strong support for Tehran but has so far stopped short of threatening to resume its maritime operations.
South Africa's economy remains vulnerable to global energy disruptions, and the threatened escalation around the Strait of Hormuz could severely affect fuel import costs and supply chains nationwide. Any sustained disruption to oil flows would drive up transport and food prices, deepening the cost-of-living pressures already felt by millions. The widening conflict also raises concerns for regional diplomatic alignments, with future developments at the negotiating table likely to determine whether these economic risks intensify or recede.
