KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called on all parties in the Middle East to urgently end their hostilities threatening regional stability.

He condemned Israel’s recent military actions in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen as deliberate distractions from its atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

"Israel’s aggression is not just a regional issue; it has global implications,” he said in a statement.

"We must urgently prevent a dangerous cycle of action and reaction, which threatens to draw even more parties into the conflict, further deepening instability and broadening the scale of destruction,” he added.

He said the current violence serves to protect failing political leadership at the expense of innocent lives.

Anwar joined other world leaders in urging immediate steps to reduce hostilities, stressing the need for conditions that would prevent a wider regional conflict.

Iran launched missiles towards Israel in response to the killings of Tehran-backed Hezbollah and Hamas Palestinian leaders, drawing retaliation from the Zionist government, prompting fears of a region-wide conflagration after almost a year of war in Gaza.

The military actions have also affected global markets, resulting in lower trade and shares to sink this morning.

Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry is preparing to evacuate 15 more citizens and three foreign spouses from Lebanon following the deteriorating security situation there.

The embassy in Beirut said it will remain in operation with four Malaysian staff members until further notice.

Nine Malaysians have already left the country voluntarily while four Malaysians have decided to stay on.