India Issues Urgent Advisory After US-Israel Strikes On Iran Kill 40 At Girls’ School
3 min readNew DelhiFeb 28, 2026 08:30 PM IST
Amid escalating military tensions in the Middle East, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Saturday issued a statement urging all parties involved to exercise restraint and prioritise the safety of civilians.
“India is deeply concerned at the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region. We urge all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians. Dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected,” the MEA said in a statement.
The MEA added that its Missions in the region are in touch with Indian nationals and have issued appropriate advisories asking them to remain vigilant, stay in contact with the Missions, and follow local security guidance.
Operation ‘Lion’s Roar’
Earlier on Saturday, the US and Israel launched a major military operation against Iran, a day after negotiations between Washington and Tehran over the latter’s nuclear enrichment programme concluded in Geneva without a breakthrough.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dubbed the joint action Operation ‘Lion’s Roar’.
The strikes reportedly killed several political officials and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Among the first confirmed civilian casualties were 51 people killed at a girls’ school in Minab in Iran’s Hormozgan province.
Iran responded with counterattacks on Washington’s regional allies – the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar – all of which house US military bases. The US operates or manages eight persistent bases and 11 other military sites in the Middle East, according to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report published in 2024.
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The escalation has disrupted air travel across the region, with several airlines, including Indian carriers, suspending flights through Middle Eastern airspace.
India’s advisory to nationals
Tehran has also been dealing with waves of anti-regime protests since January, galvanised by sanction-driven inflation and economic woes.
India has been issuing notices for its nationals to leave the country since. On Monday, the Indian embassy in Tehran advised all its nationals living in Iran to leave the country by all available means of transport.