As Israel launched airstrikes early Saturday in response to the barrage of ballistic missiles Iran fired upon Tel Aviv earlier in the month, India has expressed “deep concerns” over the evolving escalation in West Asia, and urged parties concerned to exercise restraint.
New Delhi also highlighted the ramifications of the tensions for peace and stability in the region and beyond.
Without naming any country, the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, “We reiterate our call to all concerned to exercise restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.”
It said the ongoing hostilities are to nobody’s benefit, even as innocent hostages and civilian populations continue to suffer.
“Our Missions in the region are in contact with the Indian community,” the MEA added.
The Israeli military earlier in the day said its aircraft targeted facilities that Iran used to make missiles fired at Israel as well as surface-to-air missile sites. There was no immediate indication that oil or missile sites were hit — strikes that would have marked a much more serious escalation — and Israel offered no immediate damage assessment.
Explosions were heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, though the Islamic Republic insisted they caused only “limited damage” and Iranian state-run media downplayed the attacks.
However, the strikes risk pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiralling violence across the Middle East, where militant groups backed by Iran — including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — are already at war with Israel.
On October 1, Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel in retaliation to the killing of Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and several of his top commanders. The Iranian attack send Israelis scrambling into bomb shelters, but causing only minimal damage and a few injuries. (IE)
