An Indian Foreign Ministry official said on Friday that India is “deeply concerned” by reports of civilian casualties in Lebanon. The comments come in the wake of the worst Israeli bombing in Lebanon, which reportedly killed more than 300 people.
Two days ago, after US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, marking the country’s bloodiest day since the war began on February 28. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that more than 300 people lost their lives in the attack.
“As a troop-contributing country to UNIFIL that is invested in peace and security in Lebanon, the trend of events is very worrying,” MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a press conference.
Randhir Jaiswal also stressed that India has always emphasized the protection of civilians as the “top priority”. “Respect for international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is essential,” the ministry said.
The Ministry also confirmed that the Indian Embassy in Lebanon remains in contact with the Indian community to ensure its safety and security.
Lebanon was drawn into the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike in late February, after which Hezbollah began firing on Israel.
Israel is holding talks with Lebanon
Israeli-Lebanese negotiations are also expected to begin next week at the State Department in Washington, the Associated Press reported, citing official sources.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he called for direct talks with Lebanon “as soon as possible,” with a focus on disarming the Hezbollah militant group.
Netanyahu was quoted as saying, “In light of Lebanon’s repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I issued instructions to the Council of Ministers yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible.”
Including Lebanon in the ceasefire
The United States, Israel and Iran disagree over whether Lebanon is part of a temporary ceasefire agreed upon by the two countries. Prime Minister Netanyahu had said earlier that the strikes on Lebanon were not part of the ceasefire plan. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi criticized Israeli claims about its attacks on Lebanon, saying the United States must choose a ceasefire or continue the war through Israel.
Ahead of the peace talks, Hezbollah said on Friday that it had targeted Israel’s Ashdod naval base. Hezbollah said the attack came in response to “repeated Israeli attacks on Beirut.”
Agence France-Presse quoted the group as saying in a statement: “In response to the enemy’s violation of the ceasefire and its repeated attacks on Beirut, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire without the enemy’s commitment, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted… the naval base in the port of Ashdod with missiles.”
