An explosion was reported near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, according to multiple sources.
There were no casualties as a result of the explosion.
Two people were seen on CCTV near the explosion site, and a letter written in English directed toward the Israeli ambassador using "abusive" language was discovered nearby as well. Indian media believes the explosion can be attributed to a group called "Sir Allah Resistance," with the letter using words like Zionist, Gaza, and Palestine.
More specific circumstances of the incident are still under investigation by New Delhi police, news channel NDTV reported, citing the Press Trust of India. Investigations into the explosions are being done in full cooperation with Israeli security forces.
Staff were unharmed following the blast.
A source from the Indian Jewish community told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday: "The explosion was very big, not something we are used to hearing. It was a great miracle that there were no casualties." The source emphasized to the Post, "It's not clear if it [the bombing] was against Israel or not. But it was close to the Israeli embassy."
"The explosion was very big, not something we are used to hearing. It was a great miracle that there were no casualties."
Source from the Indian-Jewish community
Guy Nir, the spokesman for the embassy, was interviewed by Indian television and said: "We heard an explosion. We thought it was close, and then we realized that it was indeed near the embassy. The Delhi Police and our security teams were immediately called to understand what was happening," N12 reported him as saying. "Obviously, something happened, but we have no information beyond that. In the meantime, we are waiting for the results of the investigation."
פיצוץ אירע ליד שגרירות ישראל בניו דלהי. לא היו נפגעים. גורמי ביטחון ישראליים מעורבים בחקירת נסיבות האירוע@AmichaiStein1 @RamEliBrandts pic.twitter.com/LJIsZMiCnQ
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) December 26, 2023
The Israel National Security headquarters told Israelis currently in India to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Avoid going to crowded places (malls, markets, etc.) and places associated with Judaism or Israel
- Maintain increased vigilance in public places (including restaurants, hotels, bars, etc.)
- Avoid participating in events with many participants that are not secure
- Avoid posting trip details on social media and posting photos and visiting details before the trip or in real-time.
Not the first time an explosion hit near the embassy
Another explosion happened at the Israeli embassy in India in January 2021, where several vehicles were damaged at the scene.
In an interview conducted by Israel's ambassador to India, Ron Malka, to Channel 12 nearly three years ago, he emphasized that in Israel and India, the explosion is treated as a security incident, and it is being investigated whether the embassy was the target. In addition, he noted that the incident occurred exactly at the time when the workers were supposed to leave the embassy.
A terror organization called Jaish-ul-Hind, rumored to be Iran-affiliated, took responsibility for the January 2021 attack near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, according to Indian media.
Anna Brasky/Maariv Online and Reuters contributed to this report.