India’s statement covered Iran and Israel, calling on Indians not to go to the two countries until further notice in view of the “prevailing situation in the region”.
France, India, Russia, UK Issue Travel Warnings Over Israel-Iran Tensions
Countries including France, India, Russia, Poland and the United Kingdom have warned their citizens against travelling to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and, in some cases, the wider region amid threats of an Iranian attack in response to a strike this month on its consulate in Damascus. Iran has threatened reprisals against Israel over the strike in the Syrian capital on April 1, which killed seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members, including two generals, leading to fears of an escalation of violence in the Middle East.
India’s statement covered Iran and Israel, calling on Indians not to go to the two countries until further notice in view of the “prevailing situation in the region”.
Iran To Attack Israel ‘Sooner Than Later’
Israel has not admitted attacking an Iranian consulate in Syria but is widely believed to have been behind it. US officials have told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that a major attack on Israel could happen imminently. Iran backs Hamas, the Palestinian group fighting Israel in Gaza, as well as various proxy groups throughout the region, including some – such as Hezbollah in Lebanon – that frequently carry out strikes against the Israelis.
On Friday, Hezbollah said it had launched “dozens” of rockets from Lebanon towards Israel. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman said around 40 missiles and two explosive drones had been launched. No casualties were reported and there were no indications of involvement from other actors. Ever since the lethal 1 April strike on the consulate building in Damascus, from which Israel believes Iran was directing its covert arms supplies to Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Syria, Iran’s security establishment has been debating its response.
The war in Gaza was sparked when Hamas attacked Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, killing about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking more than 250 hostage. Israel says that of 130 hostages still in Gaza, at least 34 are dead. More than 33,600 Gazans, the majority of them civilians, have been killed during Israel’s campaign in Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry says.
U.S. Moves Warships to Defend Israel in Case of Iranian Attack
The U.S. rushed warships into position to protect Israel and American forces in the region, hoping to head off a direct attack from Iran on Israel that could come as soon as this weekend.
China Helping Russia Expand Its Defence Base Amid Ukraine Conflict
Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, China is helping Russia ramp up its defence industrial base at such a large scale that Moscow is now undertaking its most ambitious expansion in military manufacturing since the Soviet era, CNN reported, citing senior Biden administration officials. One of the official claimed that the Chinese and Russian entitles have also been working jointly to produce drones inside of Russia.
