Cairo: Egypt's foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, called for an immediate halt to hostilities in the Middle East during separate phone calls on Sunday with his counterparts in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, warning that the escalating conflict risks drawing the wider region into war.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Abdelatty urged the international community to increase pressure for de-escalation and a halt to the fighting, stressing that diplomacy and dialogue remain the only path to containing the crisis.

The calls come as the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its third week, with several Gulf countries reporting missile and drone attacks linked to the escalating conflict.

During the calls, Abdelatty reiterated Cairo's condemnation of attacks targeting Gulf and other Arab states, saying such actions violate international law and threaten regional stability.

Abdelatty stressed the need for closer Arab coordination in addressing the crisis and called for developing a clear framework for regional security arrangements once the war ends.

He said discussions should include mechanisms to strengthen joint Arab action and proposals for a joint Arab force to safeguard regional security and protect the capabilities of Arab states from future threats.

He also expressed Egypt's support for precautionary measures taken by Kuwait and Bahrain, including the closure of their airspace, to protect their territories and citizens amid rising security risks.