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Amid the fear of retaliation from Iran days after Israel’s attack on its soil , the United States and France have imposed travel restrictions and warned citizens against travelling to parts of the Middle East, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Israel, and the Palestinian territories.” France on Friday issued a warning to its citizens, asking them to “imperatively refrain from travel in the coming days to Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestinian territories,” the foreign minister’s entourage told AFP.
Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne issued the recommendation after Iran threatened reprisals over an attack by Israel on the Iranian consulate in Syria. The strikes sparked fear of an escalation of violence in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the US has also imposed restrictions on travel for its employees in Israel, as reported by the BBC. The US Embassy said staff had been told not to travel outside the greater Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, or Beersheba areas “out of an abundance of caution.” This comes after Iran blamed Israel for a strike on its consulate in Syria 11 days ago, killing 13 people, and vowed to retaliate. The UK Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, spoke to his Iranian counterpart to urge against further escalation.
According to the BBC, Israel has not claimed responsibility for the consulate attack but is widely considered to have been behind it. On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden warned Iran was threatening to launch a “significant attack” and vowed to offer “ironclad” support to Israel, the BBC reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was ready to meet any security challenge, warning that Israel would harm any country that caused it harm. “We are prepared to meet all of the security needs of the State of Israel, both defensively and offensively,” he said, as quoted by the BBC.
Earlier this month, at least six people were killed as Israel attacked an Iranian embassy annex building in Syria’s capital, Damascus, on Monday, news agency AFP quoted state media as saying. The Syrian official news agency Sana said, “The Israeli attack targeted the Iranian consulate building in the Mazzeh neighbourhood of Damascus”. Syria’s Defence Ministry stated that many have been ‘killed and injured’ in Israeli air strikes on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.
A report in Reuters quoting a Lebanese security source said one of the dead was Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps. Several Iranian diplomats have also been reportedly killed in the attack. According to local Iranian reports, the Israeli strikes in Damascus completely destroyed the annex building. It added that the ambassador was unharmed. “Hossein Akbari, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus, and his family were not harmed in the Israeli attack,” an Iranian news agency said.
Israel, which has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets since the October war in Gaza, declined to comment on the incident. An Israeli military spokesperson said, “We do not comment on reports in the foreign media.”
We Urge All Parties To Avoid Actions Against International Law: MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs said that India has noted the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria. “We have noted with concern the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria on 1st April 2024. India is distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia, and their potential to fuel further violence and instability. We urge all parties to avoid actions that go against commonly accepted principles and norms of International Law,” the MEA said.
We have noted with concern the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria on 1st April 2024. India is distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia, and their potential to fuel further violence and instability. We urge all parties to avoid actions that go against…
— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2024
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