INDIA expressed serious concern over the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran that has threatened peace and security in the Middle East, its ministry of external affairs said on Sunday (14), hours after Tehran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel, which is already involved in a deadly conflict against Palestinian militant group of Hamas which is backed by Iran.
It also said that Indian embassies in the region were in close touch with the local Indian community.
In a statement, the ministry said, "We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. Our embassies in the region are in close touch with Indian community. It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region."
Read: India asks its citizens not to travel to Israel, Iran as Middle East boils again
Tehran reportedly launched more than 200 drones and missiles at Tehran, calling it an act of "self defence" after the Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus in Syria was destroyed in air strikes earlier in April. Iran accused Israel behind the attack that killed six people, including a senior commander in an elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Israel claimed most of the missiles that Iran launched were intercepted before they crossed into its territory.
US president Joe Biden has promised firm support for the Jewish state against the Iranian attacks.
"I just met with my national security team for an update on Iran's attacks against Israel. Our commitment to Israel's security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad," he said on X.
The US president also spoke to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone. The latter has said his country will respond to the attack strongly and that it has been preparing for a direct attack by its regional foe for years.
A defence source in the US said American forces have been shooting down drones that Iran launched targeting Israel.
"Our forces remain postured to provide additional defensive support and to protect US forces operating in the region," he said.
A 1996 photo of rapper Tupac Shakur (L) and Marion "Suge" Knight is shown on screens during closing arguments in the Duane Davis murder trial, related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, at Clark County District Court at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 31, 2026. Getty Images
A rescuer assists a resident through heavy mud following flash floods on August 27, 2026 in Trishuli, Nepal. A sudden flood swept through the Bhote Koshi River basin in northern Rasuwa on August 26, damaging settlements, roads and energy infrastructure as rescue teams searched for residents and foreign travellers reported out of contact. Hundreds were reported missing, as the death toll started to climb.Getty Images
Rescue personnel provide medical treatment to a child at an army rescue camp in Trishuli Batar, Nepal, on August 27, 2026. A sudden flood swept through the Bhote Koshi River basin in northern Rasuwa on August 26, damaging settlements, roads and energy infrastructure, as rescue teams searched for residents and foreign travellers reported out of contact. Hundreds were reported missing as the death toll began to climb. Getty Ima
Family members of missing flood victims react at the emergency ward of the Maharajgunj Medical Campus, part of the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, on August 28, 2026 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Authorities said the flash floods were triggered after a mass of ice, mud and rock collapsed into a Himalayan river near the Nepal-China border, leaving hundreds dead or missing and causing widespread damage in affected districts. Authorities continued the gruelling search for victims, many buried under metres of mud, as both China and Nepal issued fresh flooding alerts.Getty Images