DUBAI: Stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Thursday as investors await more third-quarter earnings amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the region and softening oil prices.

Lately the markets have been under pressure on worries that Israel would attack Iran in retaliation for the latter’s Oct. 1 missile strike.

Russia is warning Israel to not even consider striking Iranian nuclear facilities, state news agency TASS quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Thursday.

The statement was attached to a Washington Post article which said Netanyahu had told President Joe Biden’s administration that Israel would strike Iranian military targets, not nuclear or oil targets.