Cairo/Ankara, Oct 27 (IANS): Egypt, Turkey, and Tunisia expressed concerns about the dangerous and accelerating escalation in the Middle East, the latest of which was the Israeli attack on Iran.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its condemnation of all measures that threaten regional stability and security, exacerbate the already fragile regional situation, and fuel tension and conflict in a statement on Saturday.

It said Egypt is brokering a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, stressing the release of prisoners and hostages is the only path to de-escalation.

The ministry, in addition, renewed Egypt's calls for respecting Lebanon's territorial sovereignty and immediately ending hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, reports Xinhua news agency.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry also condemned in the "strongest terms" Israel's attack on Iran, accusing Israel of bringing the region to the brink of a "wider war."

Echoing the same concern, Tunisia warned of the repercussions of the Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory.

"This is in addition to the war of extermination that Israel has been waging for more than a year against the Palestinian people and Israel's blatant attacks on Lebanon and Syria in a frantic effort to ignite a regional war that will destroy security and stability in the region and beyond," Tunisian Foreign Ministry stated.

The ministry called on the international community to urgently assume responsibility to end the spiral of violence, which violates all international and moral conventions and puts the region and even the world in great danger.

The Israel Defense Forces said it launched early Saturday "precise and targeted" airstrikes on targets in several areas in Iran in response to the attacks from Iran in recent months.

Iran's air defence headquarters said in a statement that it had successfully countered the Israeli airstrikes, which inflicted "limited damage." Iran's army said two of its soldiers were killed during the Israeli strike.