Netanyahu dials Modi over Israeli strikes on Iran; PM urges peace in region

PRime government minister Narendra Modi on fri conveyed India's concerns almost the state of affairs in w Asia to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and called for the early restoration of peace in the region.The external affairs ministry had earlier expressed deep concern after Israel launched waves of air strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, and urged both countries to avoid escalatory steps. The Indian side pointed to its "close and friendly relations with both countries" and said it was "ready to extend all possible support" to Israel and Iran. Follow Israel-Iran tensions news live updatesThe evolving situation figured in a phone conversation between Modi and Netanyahu. "Received a phone call from PM @netanyahu of Israel. He briefed me on the evolving situation," PM Modi said in a social media post."I shared India's concerns and emphasised the need for early restoration of peace and stability in the region," he said. Netanyahu also spoke to US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to brief them on the situation.The Indian missions in Tehran and Tel Aviv have advised thousands of Indian nationals in both countries to remain vigilant and stay safe following the Israeli air strikes.Also Read: Why Israel named strikes against Iran 'Operation Rising Lion'? A Bible connectionThe Israeli military carried out at least two waves of air strikes that targeted locations in the cities of Tehran, Natanz, Tabriz, Isfahan, Arak and Kermanshah. Iran's state-run media reported that several nuclear scientists and Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were among those killed in the Israeli strikes.Israel-Iran tensionsIran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Israel "must expect severe punishment" for the "crime" of attacking the country and killing several commanders and scientists."We are deeply concerned at the recent developments between Iran and Israel," the external affairs ministry said in a statement."India urges both sides to avoid any escalatory steps. Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised to work towards a de-escalation of the situation and resolving underlying issues," the statement said.New Delhi is closely monitoring the evolving situation, including "reports related to attacks on nuclear sites". Indian embassies in both countries are in contact with the Indian community, and all Indian nationals in the region were advised to "exercise caution, stay safe and follow local security advisories".A social media post by the Indian embassy in Tehran said: "In view of the current situation in Iran, all Indian nationals & persons of Indian origin in Iran are requested to remain vigilant, avoid all unnecessary movements, follow the Embassy's social media accounts & observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities."Another social media post by the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv stated that "all Indian nationals in Israel are advised to stay vigilant and adhere to the safety protocols as advised by the Israeli authorities and home front command (oref.org.il/eng)" because of the prevailing situation in the region."Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel within [Israel] and stay close to safety shelters," the advisory said.Iran is currently home to more than 4,000 Indians, mostly students, academics and petty traders. They are mostly concentrated in Tehran and a few other cities.The number of Indians in Israel has swelled to more than 32,000 in recent months after Israeli authorities increased the hiring of Indian blue-collar workers to replace Palestinians in sectors such as caregiving and construction. Indians living in Israel are spread across the country.People familiar with the matter said there were no immediate plans to evacuate Indian nationals from both countries. The situation is being closely monitored and all steps are being taken to ensure the well-being of Indian nationals, they said.The scale and scope of Friday's air strikes by Israel was much greater than tit-for-tat attacks carried out in 2024.In April 2024, Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel after the bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus. This was followed by another round of hostilities last October, after Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.Israel responded on both occasions by targeting Iranian infrastructure and military facilities.