Tel Aviv/Tehran/New Delhi: After Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel by firing hundreds of drones and missiles triggering spectre of a wider conflict, India on Sunday said it is seriously concerned over the escalating hostilities between the two sides and called for immediate halt to violence and return to the path of diplomacy.
Iran carried out the attack on Israel in response to a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards including two generals. In its reaction, India called for immediate de-escalation of the situation and said that its embassies in the region are in close touch with the Indian community in the region.
Iran's unprecedented attacks drew international condemnation and anguish with many global leaders calling for restraint by both Iran and Israel. "We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
"We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy," it said.
Here are the latest updates:
Jaishankar speaks to Iranian FM on release of 17 Indians onboard seized vessel
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said that he spoke to his Iranian counterpart H Amirabdollahian regarding the release of 17 Indian crew members who are among the 25-member crew of a cargo ship seized by Iranian troops.
“Spoke to Iranian FM Amirabdolahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries,” Jaishankar shared on X. “Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy.”
The MEA said India is closely monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia. "We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. Our Embassies in the region are in close touch with the Indian community," it said in a statement. "It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region," it added.
On Saturday, the Iranian military seized a cargo ship with Israeli links near the Strait of Hormuz. The ship has 17 Indian crew members. India is in touch with Iran to secure the release of Indians onboard the Portuguese-flagged vessel 'MSC Aries'.
EAM speaks to Israeli FM
EAM Jaishankar also spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday evening and suggested avoiding escalation. "Just concluded a conversation with Israel FM Israel_katz. Shared our concern at the developments yesterday. Discussed the larger regional situation. Agreed to stay in touch," he tweeted.
Iran warns of ‘severe response’ in case of retaliation
Iran has warned Israel of a larger attack on its territory should it retaliate against Tehran’s overnight drone and missile attacks, adding that the United States should not back an Israeli military action.
“If the Zionist regime [Israel] or its supporters demonstrate reckless behaviour, they will receive a decisive and much stronger response,” Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi said in a statement on Sunday.
Raisi’s statement follows a similar warning by Iranian military chief, Major-General Mohammad Bagheri, who told state TV that a “much larger” response awaits Israel “if it retaliates against Iran”. Bagheri said the Iranian attack on Israel “has achieved all its goals, and in our view the operation has ended, and we do not intend to continue”.
Iran says it notified the US before attacking Israel
Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, in a press conference said his country notified the United States before launching the strike against Israel. “Early Sunday in a message to the White House we announced that our operation would be limited and minimalistic and aimed at legitimate defense and punishing the Israeli regime," Amirabdollahian said.
Tehran's top diplomat also said the limited Iranian attacks would not target civilians or economic areas: “In our response, we defined no response against civilian targets. Our armed forces targeted no economic or populated areas.”
Amirabdollahian said the strike’s goal was to punish the Israeli regime and it was a legitimate act of defense by Iranian forces: “Our goal in this legitimate act of defense is simply punishing the Israeli regime.” “We are not after American individuals or bases in the region”, Amirabdollahian said.
UK moves additional warplanes to the mideast
The British government says it has moved “several additional” fighter jets and refueling tankers to the region, following Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel. In a statement Sunday, the British government said the air assets will bolster the U.K.’s existing operation against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq as well as intercepting “any airborne attacks within the range of our existing missions, as required.”
Asked by The Associated Press whether the additional jets have been transferred to the U.K.’s air base in Cyprus, a spokesperson said a “number of aircraft” have been “temporarily moved” from Romania to bolster our existing footprint in the region. The official didn’t disclose the exact location for “reasons of operational security.”
How to contact Indian missions in Israel and Iran
The Indian mission in Israel on Sunday issued a fresh advisory for its nationals asking them to be safe and calm, after Iran attacked the Jewish state. In a post on X, the Indian mission posted an advisory that read, "In light of the recent events in the region, all Indian nationals in Israel are advised to stay calm and adhere to the safety protocols issued by the local authorities. The embassy is closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with the Israeli authorities and Indian community members to ensure the safety of all of our nationals." It has also mentioned an emergency helpline for its nationals in the country."For any urgent assistance, please contact the embassy at 24*7 Emergency Helpline/ContactTel. 1: +972 5475207112: + 972 543278392 Email: cons1.telaviv@mea@gov.in," it said.
The Indian Embassy in Tehran also issued additional helpline numbers for Indian citizens amid the rising conflict. “(The) Embassy of India in Tehran has activated additional helpline numbers. For any assistance, please contact the Embassy at: +989128109115; +989128109109; +98993179567; +989932179359; +98-21-88755103-5; cons.tehran@mea.gov.in,” the Indian Mission posted on X.
Air India temporarily suspends Tel Aviv flights
Air India on Sunday decided to temporarily suspend flights to Tel Aviv amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. An official said the direct flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv will be suspended for now. Air India operates four weekly flights between the national capital and Israeli city. The Tata group-owned carrier recommenced services to Tel Aviv on March 3 after a gap of nearly five months. Air India suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv, starting October 7, 2023, in the wake of the Hamas attack on the Israeli city.
Zelenskyy condemns Iran's attack
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Iran’s attack on Israel, drawing parallels to the war ravaging his own country where Russia has also used Iran-made drones. “We in Ukraine know very well the horror of similar attacks by Russia, which uses the same Shahed drones and Russian missiles, the same tactics of mass air strikes," he said.
“Every effort must be made to prevent a further escalation in the Middle East. Iran’s actions threaten the entire region and the world, just as Russia’s actions threaten a larger conflict, and the obvious collaboration between the two regimes in spreading terror must face a resolute and united response from the world,” he said in a post on X.
Sunak says UK shot down a number of Iranian drones
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed that U.K. military jets shot down “a number of Iranian attack drones" during an attack on Israel. Sunak says the Royal Air Force sent additional planes to the Middle East to help intercept airborne strikes after Tehran announced it had launched an assault on Saturday.
“It’s clear that Iran is determined to sow discontent and destabilize the region, its own backyard,” Sunak told the BBC on Sunday. “If this attack had been successful, the fallout for regional security would be hard to overstate.” Sunak is expected to hold an urgent call with U.S. President Joe Biden and other Group of Seven leaders later Sunday.
Iran foreign minister reiterates operation is over
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said his country has no intention of continuing the military operation against Israel. “At this juncture, the Islamic Republic of Iran has no intention of continuing defensive operations,” he posted on X, and added: "But if necessary, it will not hesitate to protect its legitimate interests against any new aggression.”
Amirabdollahian called the attack “exercising the right of legitimate defense” and said it shows Iran’s responsible approach to “regional and international peace and security.”
Pope Francis Appeals to Iran and Israel to avoid a spiral of violence
Pope Francis urged Iran and Israel in his Sunday’s prayer to avoid new actions that could spark “a spiral of violence” and drag the Middle East deeper into conflict. “I follow in prayer and with concern, even pain, the news that came in the last few hours about the aggravation of the situation in Israel, due to the intervention by Iran,” Francis said, addressing pilgrims from the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
The pontiff made another “heartfelt appeal” to immediately stop any action that could further intensify the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. “No one should threaten the existence of others. Instead, all nations should side with peace and help Israelis and Palestinians to live in two States side by side, in safety,” he added. “Enough war, enough attacks, enough violence. Yes to dialogue, yes to peace."
The pope has often called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, asking conflicting parties to follow the path of negotiations.
Iran Summons 3 European Ambassadors over Condemnation of Attack on Israel
Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned the ambassadors of the U.K., Germany and France after the three European nations condemned an Iranian attack on Israel. The ministry said on its website that the ambassadors were called in over their governments' “irresponsible stances” on the Iranian operation against Israel, which was in retaliation for a strike widely blamed on Israel on an Iranian consular building in Syria earlier this month that killed two Iranian generals.
Russia Expresses Concern Following Iran's Attack on Israel
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “utmost concern” Sunday following Iranian strikes on Israel. It said it hoped that Middle Eastern governments would resolve their problems through political and diplomatic means. It also said that Western states had stopped the U.N. Security Council from “adequately responding” to the April 1 strike on Iran’s consulate building in Syria.
“We have repeatedly warned that unresolved crises throughout the Middle East — primarily in the area of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — are often being fueled by irresponsible and provocative actions and will lead to increased tensions in the area,” the ministry said in a statement.
Iran warns US against cooperation with Israel in any new attack
Iran has sent a message to the U.S. warning Washington against cooperation with Israel in any military operation again Tehran following its unprecedented attack on Israel. The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, as saying that Tehran had communicated its message to the U.S. through the Swiss Embassy, which handles U.S. interests in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.
President Ebrahim Raisi sent a message praising Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for launching the attack, saying it had taught a lesson to the “Zionist regime.” He also warned that “any new adventure against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.” State TV meanwhile broadcast interviews with people on the street who praised the Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel and thanked the Iranian military.
Hamas demands written commitment that Israel will withdraw from Gaza
Hamas has demanded a “clear written commitment” that Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip during the second of a three-phase cease-fire deal, a senior Egyptian official and a Hamas official said Sunday.
The Palestinian militant group said Saturday it submitted its response to a six-week cease-fire proposal to Egyptian and Qatari mediators. It said it’s still committed to its demands for a permanent cease-fire, Israeli army withdrawal from all parts of Gaza, the return of displaced people to their homes, intensifying the flow of aid and the start of reconstruction. Israel said earlier Sunday that Hamas had rejected the latest proposal for a deal submitted last week.
“We confirm our readiness to reach a deal regarding a serious exchange of prisoners between the two sides,” Hamas said. The proposal presented to both sides calls for a six-week cease-fire in Gaza, during which Hamas would release 40 of the more than 100 hostages the group is holding in the enclave in exchange for 900 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, including 100 serving long sentences for serious crimes.
The Egyptian official said Hamas wants “a comprehensive, phased deal” that included ending the war, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and an agreement of all hostages in return for a large number of Palestinian prisoners. Israel says it wants to destroy Hamas’ military and governing capabilities. The officials said the response also included an increase in the number of Palestinian prisoners Hamas wants released from Israel.
G7 leaders to convene Sunday in a video call
Leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations will hold a video conference Sunday to discuss an unprecedented Iranian attack against Israel. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, whose country holds the G7 rotating presidency, wrote on X: "We express strong concern about a further destabilization of the region and continue to work to avoid it.”
U.S. President Joe Biden said the meeting is "to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.” The language indicated that the Biden administration does not want Iran’s assault to spiral into a broader military conflict.
Jordan reports it brought down Iranian objects over its territory
The Jordanian Council of Ministers says that its forces “dealt with” parts of the Iranian attack that flew over its territory, “to prevent them from endangering the safety of our citizens and residential and inhabited areas.” It said that fragments fell in multiple places but did not cause any significant damage or injuries.
The German Foreign Ministry said in a travel advisory Saturday that the Jordanian air force had shot down Iranian drones over Jordan, including over the capital, Amman. Jordan's airspace was reopened on Sunday morning.
Japan's Prime Minister condemns the Iranian attack
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday condemned Iran’s attack on Israel as a move to worsen the ongoing Middle East situation. “I am deeply concerned and strongly condemn the escalation," he told reporters.
Kishida said his government will do the utmost for the safety of Japanese citizens in the region, and stressed the importance of diplomatic effort to prevent further escalation of tensions. He said there has been no report of injury to Japanese nationals so far from the attack. Kishida made the comment shortly after returning to Tokyo after a weeklong visit to the United States, where he stressed Japan’s role as a committed partner for the U.S. in global security and other issues.
Iran says its strike was more successful than it expected
The chief of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard says the operation against Israel was more successful than expected. Gen. Hossein Salami, in an interview with state TV, said they were still collecting information but that "the part of the hits that we have detailed and documented reports from the field show that this operation was more successful.”
He also said the Iranian forces had carried out a limited operation that matched "the evil that the Zionist enemy had done.” Salami described the Israeli air defense system as complex, multi-layered and advanced and said passing through this system was a very difficult task.
“It means designing an operation that can pass drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles through this space and destroy them (targets) on the ground with extremely high accuracy," he said.
Hamas lauds Iran's attack
Hamas on Sunday praised Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel, saying it was a “deserved response to the crime” of a strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria two weeks ago. The strike on the Iranian diplomatic compound on April 1 killed two Iranian generals and was widely attributed to Israel.
Hamas, an Islamic militant group backed by Iran, also appealed for continued support for its war with Israel in Gaza, now in its seventh month. Hamas directed the appeal at Arab and Islamic nations, as well as Iran-backed groups in the region.
Hamas said in the statement that it is fighting for “the right of our Palestinian people to freedom and independence and the establishment of its Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.” Hamas has been branded a terror organization by the West and has rejected a so-called two-state solution, instead seeking Israel’s destruction.
Hezbollah says it fired dozens of rockets toward Israeli military posts in Golan Heights
Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group says it fired dozens of rockets toward Israeli military posts in Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan Heights early Sunday after an Israeli airstrike killed one person in Lebanon. The group said the attack was in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes overnight on towns and villages in southern Lebanon that killed and wounded “civilians."
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Israeli airstrikes hit areas including the border villages of Kfar Kila and Odeisseh, as well as the town of Khiam. It said the airstrike on Khiam, a few miles from the border, killed one person and wounded others.
The exchange early Sunday came as Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles toward Israel in an unprecedented revenge mission for the April 1 airstrike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Israel reopens airspace after Iranian attack
Israel has reopened its airspace following an unprecedented attack on its territory by Iran. Israel’s Transportation Ministry said the country’s main international airport has resumed operations. It said domestic airports would reopen throughout the day Sunday.
Israel says Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles toward its territory in the early morning attack, and that air defenses intercepted 99% of them. Minor damage was caused to an air base, the military said. The military announced measures on Saturday in anticipation of the Iranian attack, closing its airspace, canceling school and limiting public gatherings to no more than 1,000 people.
Israel hails interception of Iranian missiles and drones
Israel on Sunday hailed the interception of virtually all of the more than 300 Iranian missiles and drones targeting its territory as a significant strategic success. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on social platform X: “We intercepted. We blocked. Together, we will win.” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant added that “the Iranian attack was blocked in the most impressive way, together with our partners, the Americans and others.”
The Israeli army spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said that 99% of more than 300 launches, including drones, surface-to-surface missiles and cruise missiles, were intercepted outside Israeli territory. He said only a few got through, causing minor damage to an air base and injuring a 7-year-old girl in another location.
The successful interceptions come at a time when Israel is bogged down in its war against Hamas in Gaza, triggered by the militants’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. At the start of the war, Israel vowed to crush Hamas and bring back hostages the militants had taken on Oct. 7. Yet Hamas, while significantly weakened, remains standing, and dozens of hostages are still in Gaza.
Netanyahu says Hamas rejects latest cease-fire proposal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Sunday that Hamas has rejected the latest proposal for a temporary cease-fire in Gaza, which would was to include the release of about 40 hostages held by the Islamic militants. The proposal had been presented to Hamas a week ago by mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
The Israeli statement said that Israel had shown flexibility in the negotiations. It alleged that Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar “continues to take advantage of the tensions with Iran” and seeks a wider regional escalation. The statement came just hours after Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel early Sunday, with Israel saying 99% of the launches were intercepted.
Israeli defense minister calls Iran a 'country of terror'
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday called Iran “a country of terror” after Tehran launched hundreds of drones and missiles toward Israel in an unprecedented attack. "The Iranian attack was blocked in the most impressive way, together with our partners, the Americans and others ... The entire world saw today who is Iran — a country of terror,” Gallant said.
The attack, less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building, marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
UNSC calls an emergency meeting
The U.N. Security Council called an emergency meeting for 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT) on Sunday, after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles at Israel. “The gravity and volume of the attacks is unprecedented,” Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan wrote in a letter to the council late Saturday calling for the meeting.
Biden says US helped Israel down 'nearly all' Iranian drones and missiles
President Joe Biden says U.S. forces helped Israel down “nearly all” of the drones and missiles launched by Iran and pledged to convene allies to develop a unified response. Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke early Sunday, Israeli time, their governments said. Biden said in a statement that he reaffirmed “America’s ironclad commitment” to Israel’s security — a departure from his harsh criticism over Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza.
“At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week,” Biden said in the statement. “Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles.”
UN Chief calls for immediate cessation of hostilities
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for an immediate halt to hostilities in the Middle East. “I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening,” Guterres wrote in a statement Saturday night.
“I am deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation. I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East,” Guterres wrote. “I have repeatedly stressed that neither the region nor the world can afford another war.”
Germany, France, Canada Condemn Iranian attacks
The French government forcefully condemned the Iranian air attack on Israel. French foreign minister Stéphane Séjourné said in a statement Saturday that in “taking such an unprecedented action, Iran has crossed a new threshold with regard to its destabilizing activities and is risking a potential military escalation.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote early Sunday on X that Germany condemns “in the strongest possible terms the ongoing attack, which could plunge an entire region into chaos. “Iran and its proxies must stop it immediately,” Baerbock wrote. "We offer Israel our full solidarity at this time.”
Likewise, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his nation “unequivocally condemns Iran’s airborne attacks against Israel.” "We stand with Israel. After supporting Hamas’ brutal October 7 attack, the Iranian regime’s latest actions will further destabilize the region and make lasting peace more difficult,” Trudeau said in a statement. "We support Israel’s right to defend itself and its people from these attacks.” (With AP inputs)
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