The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies expressed “deep concern” over the rising tensions in the Middle East, Anadolu Agency reports.

The foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and the High Representative of the European Union in a statement indicated their “deep concern at the heightened level of tension in the Middle East, which threatens to ignite a broader conflict in the region.”

They urged all involved parties “to refrain from perpetuating the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence, to lower tensions and engage constructively toward de-escalation.”

“No country or nation stands to gain from a further escalation in the Middle East,” they added.