Indians in Israel asked to ‘stay vigilant’ amid growing tensions in Middle East
Earlier on Thursday, the Indian embassy in Lebanon issued an advisory to Indian national strongly urging them to leave the country.
The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv has issued an advisory to Indian nationals in Israel urging to them to obey the safety protocol issued by the local authorities and to avoid unnecessary travel within the country. The advisory also directed Indians in Israel to stay close to safety shelters, assuring them that the embassy is closely monitoring the situation.
“Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel within the country and stay close to safety shelters. The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and remains in regular touch with the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of all our nationals,” the advisory issued on Thursday read.
ALSO READ | “Avoid non-essential travel”: Indian embassy in Lebanon advisory for Indians
Earlier on Thursday, the Indian embassy in Lebanon issued an advisory to Indians strongly urging them to leave the country. The consulate strictly advised against people travelling to the country till further notice and also urged Indian nationals who remained in Lebanon for any reason “to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements and remain in contact with Embassy of India in Beirut.”
Air India flight cancellation
Air India on Friday announced on Friday a temporary suspension of flight operations to Tel Aviv till August 8 due to escalating tension in the region. In social media post on X, Air India said, “In view of the ongoing situation in parts of the Middle East, we have suspended scheduled operation of our flights to and from Tel Aviv with immediate effect up to and including 08 August 2024. We are continuously monitoring the situation and are extending support to our passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Tel Aviv during this period, with a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges. Safety of our guests and crew remains our foremost priority.”
Rocket strike on Golan Heights
The situation in Israel recently grew tense following a rocket attack on a football field in Golan Heights allegedly by the Hezbollah in Lebanon on 27 July 2024 which claimed the lives of 12 children. The strike left a crater about 2 metres wide, which broke through the carpet of artificial grass on which the children were playing, reported news agency AP. Scattered burned-out bicycles, scooters and electric bikes with melted batteries were found near the area of impact. Neighbouring tents and shelter were affected by the shrapnel from the rocket attack as well. Hezbollah has denied the Israel claim regarding the attack, reported AP.
Since the violence on October 7 by Hamas which claimed the lives of more than 1,400 people according to Al Jazeera, violence flared across the border between Israeli troops and Hezbollah. The recent rocket attacks in Israel-controlled Golan Heights aggravated the tense situation which was further weakened by the killing of senior members Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on 31 July 2024 and also claimed to have Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, considered the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks through a strike on July 13 recently.
