Israel shuts global embassies after strikes on Iran
Israel is shutting its embassies around the world and has urged citizens to stay alert and not display Jewish or Israeli symbols in public places, statements posted on embassy websites said on Friday after Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran.The statements said Israel would not be providing consular services and urged citizens to cooperate with local security services if faced with hostile activity.advertisementNo timeframe was given for how long the embassies would be closed. A person picking up the phone at the embassy in Berlin gave no further details.
"In light of recent developments, Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided," the statement said.German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, said Germany was stepping up protection of Jewish and Israeli sites.Visible security was increased outside the Great Synagogue of Stockholm, with a police van and car parked near the building, a Reuters witness said.Earlier, Israel said it had attacked nuclear facilities and missile factories in Iran and had killed a swathe of military commanders in what could be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran building an atomic weapon.US President Donald Trump suggested that Iran had brought the attack on itself by resisting US demands in talks to restrict its nuclear programme, and urged it to make a deal, "with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal".Tune InMust Watch
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First Post
36 minutes ago
- First Post
The row over Israeli military map showing J&K as part of Pak, Northeast as Nepal
Amid tensions with Tehran, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared a map that depicted the 'global threat' of Iranian missiles. However, the map incorrectly depicted India's international boundaries and showed Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan, and placed the states of the northeast within Nepal. While the IDF later apologised for the blunder, it left Indians fuming read more On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared a map on X that incorrectly depicted India's international boundaries. It showed Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan, and mistakenly placed the states of the northeast within Nepal. Image courtesy: X/@IDF A map meant to show the threat of Iranian missiles ended up causing a completely different kind of trouble for the Israeli military. On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared a map on X that incorrectly depicted India's international boundaries. It showed Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan, and mistakenly placed the states of the northeast within Nepal. The error didn't go unnoticed. Many Indian users quickly pointed out the blunder, calling it unacceptable and demanding that the IDF take the post down. Some even tagged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As the backlash grew, the IDF stepped in to acknowledge the mistake. Here's a closer look at what happened. IDF's map blunder Amid an escalating military conflict with Iran, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared a stylised map on X, warning of Tehran's 'global threat' by showing the estimated reach of Iranian missiles. 'Iran is a global threat. Israel is not the end goal, it's only the beginning. We had no other choice but to act,' the Israeli military wrote in the post, adding a map that spanned West Asia, North Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia, including India, with incorrectly drawn borders. Iran is a global threat. Israel is not the end goal, it's only the beginning. We had no other choice but to act. — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 13, 2025 It omitted Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, which are constitutionally integral parts of India. Aksai Chin, which is part of Ladakh, was also excluded from Indian territory. Arunachal Pradesh was also misrepresented. The graphic featured red concentric circles originating from Iran, highlighting the missile reach over neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia, Libya, Ethiopia, India, China, Russia, Turkey, and parts of Europe like Romania and Bulgaria. Soon after the post went live, Indian users flooded the comments. Many expressed disappointment and anger, calling the map misleading and insensitive. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Forget precision, it's no way near the truth. Why not change it rather than posting this sorry note? You need to understand India sentiments and our relationship. Better late than never, change it ASAP plz,' one user replied. Another tagged Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and demanded the map be deleted and re-posted with the correct borders. Some users even reminded Israel of India's historical support and the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers in defence of the country's territorial integrity. So far, the Indian government has not officially responded to the incident. IDF admits mistake, issues apology In the face of mounting criticism, the IDF eventually admitted its mistake and issued a public apology. 'This post is an illustration of the region. This map fails to precisely depict borders. We apologise for any offence caused by this image,' the IDF posted on X. This post is an illustration of the region. This map fails to precisely depict borders. We apologize for any offense caused by this image. — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 13, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The timing of the error struck a particularly sensitive chord because of the strong ties shared between India and Israel in recent years. In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian leader to visit Israel, marking a key moment in bilateral relations. Since then, the relationship has grown steadily. India is now one of Israel's largest trading partners, behind only the US, UK, Hong Kong, and China, and a major buyer of Israeli defence equipment. With such strong ties, many found the map blunder unexpected and disappointing. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) sign the guest book at the Indian Army Cemetery of World War I to honour fallen Indian soldiers, in the Israeli coastal city of Haifa July 6, 2017. File image/ Reuters Meanwhile, the map was originally shared as part of Israel's messaging around its latest military action— Operation Rising Lion . On Friday, Israel launched massive airstrikes on Tehran, claiming it was targeting Iran's nuclear enrichment infrastructure. The strikes reportedly killed over 70 people, including several high-ranking Iranian military commanders, and destroyed key facilities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In retaliation, Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles targeting several areas in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, following a stern warning from its military that 'everyone will feel it.' By Saturday, the situation had worsened further, with additional waves of offensive attacks from both sides. With input from agencies
Indian Express
44 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Renewed Iran–Israel conflict threatens Red Sea shipping route recovery, impact India trade
Just as global shipping lines and traders had started to breathe a sigh of relief from elevated freight rates, with vessels returning to the crucial Red Sea route from the longer Cape of Good Hope passage, a conflict between two major West Asian powers — Iran and Israel —has reignited fears of surging oil prices and more trade disruptions. The escalating tensions between Iran and Israel are also sending shockwaves through global stock markets, with India's benchmark Sensex closing 573 points lower on Friday. Signs of a sustained escalation emerged after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said strikes targeting military and nuclear sites across Iran would continue 'for as many days as it takes'. This follows Israeli airstrikes that killed at least three senior Iranian military officers, including Hossein Salami, head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard. In response, Iran termed the attacks a 'declaration of war' and launched around 100 drones towards Israel in the early hours of June 13, many of which were intercepted, according to Israeli authorities. Adding to tensions, US President Donald Trump stated that further Israeli strikes could be 'even more brutal'. Experts warn that Iran may respond by closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz — a key passage through which 20–25 per cent of global oil supply transits, as well as a critical corridor for LNG shipments from Qatar and the UAE. Qatar, notably, is among the top LNG suppliers to India. The renewed instability could pose deeper macroeconomic challenges for India, extending beyond trade, particularly as the country's reliance on oil imports continues to rise. While India was compelled to halt oil imports from Iran following US sanctions in 2019, Goldman Sachs estimates that Iranian supply could fall by 1.75 million barrels per day (b/d) for six months before gradually recovering. 'Assuming OPEC+ compensates for half the peak shortfall from spare capacity, Brent could rise above $90 per barrel before retreating to the $60s by 2026 as supply recovers,' the investment bank noted. A fall in prices of fruits, pulses, and cereals had helped lower India's headline retail inflation to a 75-month low of 2.82 per cent in May 2025. This easing inflationary trend had prompted the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to cut the policy repo rate by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points. However, the RBI cautioned that 'monetary policy is left with very limited space to support growth'. S&P Global noted that, so far, both Iran and Israel have avoided directly targeting energy infrastructure. However, Israel has temporarily shut its Leviathan gas field — a key supplier to Egypt and Jordan — as a precaution. Iran, meanwhile, reported no damage to its oil refineries or storage depots in the initial attacks. Iran possesses approximately 2.2 million b/d of crude refining capacity and an additional 600,000 b/d of condensate splitter capacity. In May, it produced about 4 million b/d of crude and condensate. According to S&P Global, Iran's crude exports could fall below 1.5 million b/d this month. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President S C Ralhan had said in May that conditions in the Red Sea were improving, with ships resuming their regular routes. Exporters believed the risk of a wider conflict remained contained — as long as major powers like Israel and Iran stayed out of direct confrontation. Now, with traders' worst fears materialising, vessels may be forced to continue using the Cape of Good Hope route. This detour means sustained upward pressure on freight rates. The Red Sea crisis had already caused a spike in shipping costs due to voyage times increasing by 10–14 days. Longer voyages also tightened vessel availability, exerting inflationary pressure on freight rates. The crisis also hit liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows through the Suez Canal, which dropped to 4.15 million tonnes in 2024 — down sharply from 32.36 million tonnes in 2023 and 34.94 million tonnes in 2022, according to Kpler data. Meanwhile, LNG volumes via the Cape of Good Hope rose more than five-fold, from 11.76 million tonnes in 2022 to 59.37 million tonnes in 2024. Ravi Dutta Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, covering policy issues related to trade, commerce, and banking. He has over five years of experience and has previously worked with Mint, CNBC-TV18, and other news outlets. ... Read More
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
India Issues Fresh Safety Advisory Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Amid escalating regional tensions, the Indian Embassy in Israel issued a fresh safety advisory on Saturday for Indian nationals residing in the country as the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates. In a post on social media platform X, the official handle @indemtel stated: "In view of the prevailing situation in the region, all Indian nationals in Israel are advised to remain vigilant and follow the safety protocols issued by the Israeli authorities and Home Front Command." The advisory further urged Indian citizens to exercise caution, avoid all non-essential travel within the country, and stay close to designated safety shelters. "We are continuously monitoring the evolving situation, including the safety and well-being of Indian nationals. In case of any emergency, please contact the Embassy's 24x7 Telephone: +972 54-7520711, +972 54-3278392, or email: it added. Earlier on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, briefing him on the "evolving situation" following the launch of a military operation by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) against Iran, earlier in the day. "Received a phone call from PM Netanyahu of Israel. He briefed me on the evolving situation. I shared India's concerns and emphasised the need for early restoration of peace and stability in the region," PM Modi posted on X after the phone call. Netanyahu's office stated that he spoke with world leaders, including PM Modi, after Israel began 'Operation Rising Lion' to remove the "Iranian threat of annihilation". "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, beginning last night, has held conversations with world leaders, including the German Chancellor, the Indian Prime Minister and the French President. The Prime Minister is due to speak with US President Trump, Russian President Putin and the British Prime Minister," read a statement issued by the office of the Prime Minister of Israel. "The leaders showed understanding for Israel's defence needs in the face of the Iranian threat of annihilation; the Prime Minister said that he would continue to be in contact with them in the coming days," it added. Earlier on Friday, Netanyahu officially announced the launch of 'Operation Rising Lion', a targeted military campaign to dismantle Iran's nuclear threat to Israel's security. Tensions escalated further early on Saturday when nearly 100 missiles were launched from Iran towards central and northern Israel in two massive barrages. According to the Israeli military and national emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA), the attacks resulted in significant damage and injuries to at least 41 people. The MDA reported that two individuals were critically injured, two sustained moderate injuries, and four were lightly to moderately hurt. The remainder suffered light injuries or trauma-related symptoms, including panic attacks. Iranian state television later confirmed that the missile attacks were part of a renewed offensive amid increasing hostilities between the two nations. The IDF confirmed the strikes, stating that 'another barrage has been fired towards Israel,' though the number of missiles and the specific target areas were not immediately disclosed.
