Israel issues travel warning after explosion near New Delhi embassy
Israel has issued travel advice to its citizens in India after an explosion near its embassy in New Delhi.
Officials fear the blast on Tuesday evening could have been a terrorist attack.
An explosion was reported near the embassy in the high-security diplomatic enclave in India’s capital, causing concern among security agencies, who searched the area. No injuries were reported. Delhi Police said they gathered material from the site for forensic examination and an investigation was under way.
The suspected blast site was within 100m of the embassy compound.
This took place a day after the assassination of Brig Gen Razi Mousavi, a senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in Syria’s capital Damascus.
No connection between the two events has been confirmed.
The blast that killed Mousavi took place nearly three years after an explosion near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, in which no one was hurt.
On Tuesday, Israel’s National Security Council advised its nationals to stay alert, expressing concerns about a “recurrence of the events”, particularly in New Delhi.
“It may have been a terrorist attack,” the council said.
It advised citizens to avoid displaying “Israeli symbols”, and not post their trip travel details or photos on social media.
Security has been strengthened in the area close to the Israeli embassy compound, said officials.
The IRGC blamed Israel and threaten retribution for Mousavi’s death, saying that “the usurping and barbaric Zionist regime will pay for this crime, without a doubt”.
Police reportedly found a letter at the scene of the blast addressed to Israel’s ambassador.
“A letter has been written in English to the Israeli embassy in which threatening words are used,” ANI news agency reported, quoting police officials.