Iraq’s representative to the United Nations has said 50 Israeli warplanes violated Iraqi airspace shortly before a UN meeting on the Israel-Iran conflict, Reuters reports.

Abbas Kadhom Obaid Al-Fatlawi, charge d’affaires of Iraq’s UN mission, told the UN Security Council the aircraft came from the Syrian-Jordanian border areas.

“Twenty airplanes started, followed by 30 airplanes heading to the south of Iraq, and they flew over Basra, Najaf and Karbala cities,” he said.

“These violations are violations of international law and the UN Charter,” he said, adding: “They also constitute a threat to the sacred sites and regions which might cause strong popular reactions, considering the importance of these holy sites for our peoples.”