Israel clarifies war on Iran unrelated to PM Modi’s visit

Israel on Monday said the opportunity to launch its joint military offensive with the United States against Iran emerged only after Narendra Modi concluded his two-day visit to Tel Aviv in February, rejecting Opposition criticism over the timing of the trip.

Israel’s envoy to India, Reuven Azar, said the regional situation was already volatile during the Prime Minister’s visit on February 25-26. His remarks came amid criticism from the Indian National Congress, which had described Modi’s visit as “shameful” and “ill-timed”.

Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid had argued that the timing of the trip “creates the perception of a political endorsement of military escalation”.

Addressing reporters, Azar said Israel remains open to diplomacy despite the ongoing hostilities. “We are ready to stop hostilities if Iran changes course,” he said, adding that Tel Aviv had consulted diplomatic channels in recent days, including partners such as the United States and several regional countries.

As the conflict entered its 17th day on Monday, the envoy said a full-scale ground invasion was unlikely. “I don’t think a full-fledged terrestrial invasion is on the cards,” he said. Azar claimed Israeli operations had significantly weakened Iran’s offensive capabilities. “We’ve managed to degrade Iran’s launching capabilities to a large extent. We are still hunting launchers and the remnants of other military capabilities,” he said. “Right now, we are controlling the skies of Iran,” he added. He acknowledged that diplomatic avenues had been explored before the military action. “We are always for diplomacy. Unfortunately, we exhausted diplomacy to the extent that we had to take military action. We hope diplomacy will again become relevant as a result of our actions,” Azar said.

Asked whether Israel was prepared for a prolonged conflict, the envoy said the country had the capacity to sustain operations. “We have the oxygen and the capabilities to continue this until we exhaust the options,” he said.

Azar also criticised Iran for allegedly targeting Gulf countries, calling the attacks “very unfortunate” and accusing Tehran of using “terror and coercion” against its partners.