(CNN)-- The Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union said in a joint statement on Saturday that they reject any claims of sovereignty or control over the Strait of Hormuz by any state, stressing that the right of passage through the strait must remain guaranteed for all and may not be subject to control or permission from any state.

The statement, published by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), indicated that the two sides reaffirmed "that freedom of navigation, including the right of passage through the Strait of Hormuz... is guaranteed under international law, and ships of all states enjoy these rights, and no state may suspend, obstruct, or subject them to any conditions."

The statement condemned "in the strongest terms" Iranian attacks against commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and against countries in the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Jordan.

The statement considered that "any aggression against the security of one of the countries represents a concern for all parties that depend on the safety of this vital waterway," calling on Iran to "immediately and unconditionally cease all attacks and all forms of interference in maritime navigation."

The statement called for "restraint, and a firm commitment to dialogue and diplomacy as the two ways to resolve the crisis, and to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

The US military announced on Saturday the death of two of its soldiers and the loss of a third, recording the first casualties among US forces in the war with Iran since last March.

Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Qatar were subjected to more Iranian attacks on Friday. Kuwait said Iran bombed a power and water desalination plant.

The United States launched new strikes against Iran, and official Iranian media reported that several bridges in the south of the country and a maritime observation tower were targeted.

Iran claimed it targeted US forces in Syria, although the US military and Syrian officials denied this.

The United States carried out a seventh night of strikes (extending from Friday night to Saturday), targeting coastal areas near the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as transportation infrastructure inland, according to official Iranian media.

The attacks resulted in damage to a water desalination plant in the south of the country, causing water outages in 20 villages, according to the deputy governor of Hormozgan province. Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia announced the activation of warning systems or the repelling of Iranian attacks, and Kuwait said another power and water desalination plant was bombed.