New Delhi, Apr 10 — India on Friday expressed concern over the mounting civilian casualties in Lebanon after Israeli strikes killed 303 people in a single day, taking the overall toll to around 1,800 since early March.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of a large number of civilian casualties that have been reported in Lebanon,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing. “India has always emphasised the protection of civilians as the foremost priority.”
The remarks came after one of the deadliest days in recent years, with 303 people killed and over 1,150 injured on Wednesday alone, raising fears of strain on a fragile US-Iran understanding.
Jaiswal said India, as a troop-contributing country to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, is closely monitoring developments. “The direction of events is very disturbing,” he said, adding that international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states must be respected.
The Indian embassy in Beirut is in touch with the nearly 1,000-strong Indian community to ensure their safety, he added.
Israeli forces have intensified operations across Lebanon since launching a new military campaign on March 2. The Israeli military said it carried out its largest coordinated strikes so far, hitting more than 100 targets within minutes across Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon.
Israel Katz said the strikes were aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure.
The sustained bombing campaign and ground operations have also damaged key infrastructure, including bridges, and displaced over 1.1 million people across Lebanon.
Iran has accused Israel of violating a truce understanding with the United States. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the strikes risk undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Wednesday’s toll has been described as the deadliest single-day violence in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990.