Tel Aviv/New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) The Indian Embassy in Israel on Tuesday advised Indian nationals to "adhere to safety protocols" and "stay close to safety shelters", as Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and an Iranian commander in Lebanon.
Tehran’s attack came as Israel deployed ground forces into south Lebanon, escalating its attack on the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.
There are reported to be around 28,000 Indians in Israel.
The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv said in an advisory:
“In view of the prevailing situation in the region, all Indian nationals in Israel are advised to stay vigilant and adhere to safety protocols as advised by the local authorities.
"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."
It asked the Indians to contact the Embassy emergency helpline in case of any emergency.
The advisory came as Iran launched missile strikes from locations across the country, including Tabriz, Kashan, and the outskirts of Tehran, late on Tuesday night local time.
Social media platforms showed videos that captured scenes of rocket fire illuminating the Iranian skyline.
On Tuesday, the US had warned of a forthcoming attack from Iran against Israel
Iran said it targeted Israel on Tuesday in response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“In response to the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, Seyed Hassan Nasrallah and Martyr Nilfroshan, we targeted the heart of the occupied territories,” it said.
“If the Zionist regime reacts to Iran’s operations, it will face crushing attacks,” IRGC said.
On Tuesday, the Iranian Mission to the United Nations said that Tehran’s response has “been duly carried out,” following a barrage of missiles launched at Israel.
UNI RN