- Hundreds of Indian nationals have begun leaving Israel via land routes amid conflict escalation
- Over 300 Indians are travelling to Jordan or Egypt for flights to New Delhi from Israel
- Approximately 18,000 Indian nationals currently reside in Israel
Hundreds of Indian nationals have begun departing Israel using land routes as the conflict between Tel Aviv and Iran escalated after the US bombed Tehran's three key nuclear sites. Outside the Indian Embassy in Israel, buses were lined up today morning and people formed queues with packed bags in their hands.
An NDTV journalist reporting from ground zero saw many Indian nationals, including students, waiting near the embassy in Israel to return home.
With Israeli airspace closed and commercial flights suspended, over 300 Indian nationals have started taking the land route. They are being taken to Jordan or Egypt, from where they will be flown to New Delhi. The first batch of evacuees has already left Israel.
There are reportedly about 18,000 Indian nationals currently living in Israel.
When the US joined Israel's conflict against Iran on Sunday, triggering fears of a full-blown war in the Middle East, India extended its 'Operation Sindhu' to Tel Aviv. Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that India will evacuate those Indian nationals "who wish to leave" Israel.
"Their travel from Israel to India will be facilitated through the land borders and thereafter by air to India. The government of India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad," it had said.
New Delhi has asked all Indian nationals to register themselves with the Embassy of India in Tel Aviv at https://www.indembassyisrael.gov.in/indian_national_reg if not already registered.
"In case of any queries, they may contact the 24/7 Control Room established at Embassy of India, Tel Aviv: telephone numbers: +972 54-7520711; +972 54-3278392; email: cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in," it said.
Operation Sindhu in Iran
India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its nationals from Iran last week as Tehran opened its otherwise closed airspace exclusively for Indian evacuation flights. Over 1,400 Indian nationals have been evacuated so far. Chants of "Hindustan Zindabad" have been echoing through the Delhi Airport as flights carrying the nationals land.
Thousands of Indian students, most of them from Jammu and Kashmir, are stranded in Iran. According to the deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, around 10,000 Indians are living in Iran, and those wishing to return home are being evacuated.
