NEW DELHI – Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has dismissed speculation linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Israel with the timing of the subsequent military strikes against Iran. Speaking on the matter, the Ambassador clarified that the Israeli government only granted final approval for the military operation after the Prime Minister’s departure. While acknowledging that the region was already experiencing significant instability during the visit on February 25–26, Azar maintained that the specific military conditions for the strike only aligned following the conclusion of the high-level diplomatic talks.
The clarification follows a massive joint military operation conducted by Israel and the United States in the early hours of February 28. The strikes targeted Iranian military facilities and resulted in the reported deaths of top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel justified the escalation by citing intelligence that Iran was rapidly advancing its nuclear weapons program. This marked PM Modi’s second visit to Israel in nine years, during which he held extensive discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before returning to Delhi on February 26.
However, the timing of the visit has sparked a domestic political row in India. The Congress party labeled the trip “shameful” and ill-timed, arguing that a state visit during such a volatile period could be interpreted as political endorsement of Israel’s military actions. Senior Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Jairam Ramesh criticized the Prime Minister for being present in the region just as the conflict intensified.
In response to these criticisms, Ambassador Azar reiterated that the Israeli Cabinet only authorized the strikes two days prior to the operation, well after the diplomatic itinerary had been set. He emphasized that the Prime Minister’s visit was a scheduled diplomatic engagement and had no direct connection to the strategic decision to launch the military offensive against Iran.
