As Israel Escalates West Asia Violence, PM Modi Speaks to Counterpart Netanyahu

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said late on September 30 that he has spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the situation in West Asia, where Israel – after yearlong strikes on Gaza has begun bombing Lebanon and Yemen now.

Modi wrote on X:

Spoke to Prime Minister [Netanyahu] about recent developments in West Asia. Terrorism has no place in our world. It is crucial to prevent regional escalation and ensure the safe release of all hostages. India is committed to supporting efforts for an early restoration of peace and stability.

Israel is one of the countries that considers Hezbollah, an armed group in Lebanon opposed to Israeli expansionism, and the Houthis, who operate from Yemen, 'terrorists'. The two groups are supporters of the Palestinian group Hamas, which attacked Israel last year in October – in retaliation to which Israel has relentlessly bombed Gaza, killing lakhs in what has been described as a genocide.

Modi has noted that "terrorism has no place in our world." India has never formally designated any of the groups – Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthis – as terrorists.

Modi also noted that it is "crucial to prevent regional escalation" and called for the safe release of all hostages. Both Hamas and Israel have kept Israelis and Palestinians hostages respectively.

Modi also said that India is committed to supporting efforts to restore peace. Earlier in September, India abstained from a widely supported United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank within a year.

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