RNS: Israel on Friday launched a huge bombardment on Gaza Friday despite Iran’s threat to avenge a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals. While truce discussions to halt the six-month-old war continued, Iran threatened to strike Israel, prompting India, the US, and France to advise their citizens to stay away.
Israel dropped missiles and shells overnight, reports say. After months of battle, Israel withdrew from Khan Yunis last week.
However, officials indicated they were ready to attack Hamas in Rafah, near Egypt.
On Friday, Hamas-ruled Gaza reported dozens of additional air strikes in the central sector.
The Hamas media office reported 25 hospitalisations in Deir al-Balah “as a result of an air strike on a house of the al-Tabatibi family.”
Taking precautionary measures, the Indian government today recommended residents to avoid Iran and Israel until further notice due to the “prevailing situation in the region”.
The foreign ministry’s warning followed Iran’s threats to react over a suspected Israeli bombing on its Syria embassy this month.
The US and Russia have issued similar travel cautions for its officials and residents in the region due to the threat.
The foreign ministry warned nationals in the two countries to take “utmost precautions about their safety and restrict their movements to the minimum”.
Iran’s reprisal might escalate the six-month confrontation between Iran-backed Hamas terrorists and Israel in Gaza.
