‘Israel is taking good care of Indian guests...': Ambassador Azar says Tev Aviv is in constant contact with MEA
'Israel is taking good care of Indian guests...': Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, said that his country is in 'constant contact' with the Ministry of External Affairs of India over the evacuation of Indian nationals amid the escalation of military confrontation between Israel and Iran.
In an interview with news agencies, Azar said Israel is taking good care of all these residents, including guest workers and, of course, 'our Indian guests'.
'We have enough shelters around the country, and those who wish to leave, we coordinate their departure with MEA in Delhi,' he said on the evacuation of Indians residing in Israel amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
He added that 'whatever message we get from the Indian government, we take it very seriously' to ensure the safety of all Indian citizens.
'We are in constant contact with the MEA, on all subjects that have to do with the evacuation of civilians. We've been cooperating since the beginning of the war, and this cooperation continues,' Azar said.
The Ambassador said that the Indian Embassy in Israel is also doing 'a pretty good job' of working with Israeli authorities. 'I'm sure that both those who stay and those who leave do so in a safe way.'
The Indian Embassy in Israel has been issuing advisories since the start of the conflict, urging Indian nationals there to take adequate precautions.
As the military confrontation intensified, India decided to evacuate its nationals from Israel who wished to leave in view of the unfolding security situation in that country.
New Delhi's decision on Thursday to evacuate its citizens came hours after an Iranian missile struck a hospital in the Beersheba area of Israel.
"In view of the recent developments between Israel and Iran, the government of India has decided to evacuate from Israel those Indian nationals who wish to leave," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
"Their travel from Israel to India will be facilitated through the land borders and thereafter by air to India," it said.
India on Wednesday announced the launch of 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate its nationals from Iran after the Persian Gulf nation's conflict with Israel showed no sign of letting up.
On June 17, Azar told reporters that his country will continue to do what is within its capabilities to "degrade" Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
At the briefing held here, he also said that a diplomatic solution to halt the hostilities would be better.
Starting a week ago, Israel under its 'Operation Rising Lion' conducted multiple strikes on the territory of Iran, with Tehran also returning fire after warning Israel.
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41 minutes ago
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Key Points to Ponder: • What is the status of the Israel-Iran conflict? • What are B-2 Spirit stealth bombers? • Know about the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). • Read about Iran's nuclear programme and issues associated with it. • What can be the impact of U.S. military cooperation with Israel on the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict? • How can US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict influence India's foreign policy approach towards West Asia? • What advantages do stealth bombers offer in high-risk, precision-targeted operations? • What are the military and ethical considerations surrounding pre-emptive strikes on nuclear infrastructure? • Can pre-emptive strikes on nuclear infrastructure be legitimised under international law? • Map work: Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz. Key Takeaways: • The B-2 can be equipped to carry America's 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy targets deep underground. That is the weapon that experts say could be used to strike Iran's nuclear program, including Fordow. • The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, declined to disclose any further details. One official said no forward orders had been given yet to move the bombers beyond Guam. They did not say how many B-2 bombers are being moved. Do You Know: • US President Donald Trump said the American military has completed airstrikes on three sites in Iran, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict with Israel. The airstrike included a key uranium enrichment site, Fordo that was unscathed in Israeli attacks so far and is believed to be key to Iran's nuclear programme. • Israel's best chance at destroying the facility at Fordo required a never-before-used American bomb — the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP — which is extremely heavy and can only be dropped using the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber aircraft of the US Air Force. • The 'bunker buster' MOP is designed to attack 'deeply-buried facilities and hardened bunkers and tunnels' and is meant to destroy targets in well-protected facilities. Israel, or any country other than the US, does not have any non-nuclear weapon systems that can penetrate a site as deep as Fordo. • The MOP measures about 20.5 feet in length and 31.5 inches in diameter and weighs about 13,000 kgs, according to the US Air Force. The bomb is a 'bunker buster'—a type of munition capable of penetrating and hitting targets secured in underground facilities. The MOP is widely believed to be the most powerful non-nuclear weapon. • According to the US Air Force fact sheet, the MOP 'is a weapon system designed to accomplish a difficult, complicated mission of reaching and destroying our adversaries' weapons of mass destruction located in well protected facilities'. It is more powerful than its predecessor, the BLU-109. • It is designed to penetrate up to 60 metres of earth before exploding. The warhead is encased in a special high-performance steel alloy, which is meant to enable it to carry a large explosive payload while maintaining the penetrator case's integrity during impact, according to an Air Force fact sheet. The Fordo site is about 90 metres in depth. It is not clear how much damage the bombings have done in Fordo. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍'Bunker-buster' MOP and B-2: Why US bomb, stealth bomber were Israel's best chance at destroying Iran's Fordo nuclear facility 📍US attack on Iran's nuclear facilities: The radiation leak threat, explained Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
News18
42 minutes ago
- News18
'Order Mass Production Of Coffins': Iranian Lawmaker Warns Trump After Strikes On Nuclear Sites
Last Updated: It comes after Trump's announcement on Sunday, in which he confirmed that US forces had launched targeted strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites. An Iranian member of parliament issued a sharp warning to the United States following recent airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, saying that President Donald Trump should 'order mass production" of 'coffins" for American forces. Qasem Ravanbakhsh, a representative from Iran's Qom province, vowed retaliation against what he called the 'terrorist forces of America." 'Trump should order mass production from coffin-making companies as soon as possible to transfer the bodies of American military personnel stationed in the region," said Ravanbakhsh. It comes after Trump's announcement on Sunday, in which he confirmed via Truth Social that US forces had launched targeted strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites. In a brief national address, Trump claimed the operation had 'obliterated" Iran's nuclear enrichment infrastructure and thwarted its alleged efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Ravanbakhsh, however, rejected Trump's claim, specifically disputing the extent of damage inflicted on the underground Fordow facility, believed to be a key site for uranium enrichment. Speaking to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, he said, 'The damage to the Fordow facilities is not as great as the American media and the criminal Trump are saying, and the underground facilities have not been damaged." He further stated that the international community 'should be confident" that Iran's 'nuclear knowledge" remains intact and 'cannot be destroyed by these crimes." Araghchi warned that the United States would face 'everlasting consequences" for its actions. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in a statement broadcast on state television, warned the United States to 'expect regrettable responses" following its strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities. First Published: June 22, 2025, 17:29 IST
