Group of Seven leaders have backed Israel¡¯s ¡°right to defend itself¡± and labeled Iran a ¡°principal source of regional instability¡± in a tersely worded joint statement released just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump hastily pulled out of the bloc¡¯s annual summit in Canada.

The short statement came as Israel and Iran traded strikes on each others¡¯ territories for a fifth day Tuesday following the start of the Israeli military¡¯s surprise assault on Friday.

In the statement, the G7 leaders reiterated their ¡°commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East¡± and ¡°support for the security of Israel.¡±