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New Delhi: Air India flights today avoided Iranian airspace as tensions soared in the Middle East after Iran warned of a retaliatory attack on Israel. Sources say Air India flights to Europe took longer routes to avoid Iranian airspace. Sources say Europe-bound Air India flights took a longer route to avoid Iranian airspace. Countries including India, France and Russia have warned their citizens against traveling to the region, which is already in its seventh month of war in Gaza.
The ‘shadow war’ between the two Middle Eastern countries heated up after an Israeli airstrike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus earlier this month killed seven people, including two generals. US and other intelligence assessments say the retaliation could last until Sunday. This unprecedented attack could spark an all-out regional war.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had earlier this week warned that Israel “must be punished and will be punished”, days after one of his advisers said Israeli embassies are “no longer safe”.
The Israeli military said it had not issued fresh instructions to civilians, but that its forces were on high alert and prepared for a range of scenarios.
Countries including India, France and Russia have warned their citizens against travel to the region, already on edge over the war in Gaza, now in its seventh month.
Since Iran viewed the embassy strike as equivalent to an attack on its own territory, sources say, a direct attack on Israeli soil by Iran itself rather than a proxy such as Hezbollah in Lebanon was a real possibility.
US President Joe Biden also said he expected Iran to attempt to attack Israel in the short term and pledged “steadfast” support for Washington’s top regional ally despite diplomatic tensions over Israel’s military conduct in Gaza. “We are dedicated to the defense of Israel, we will support Israel, we will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said.
A defence official said the Pentagon was “moving additional assets to the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for US forces.”
