Israel Envoy: Iran Strike Approved Two Days After Modi Left
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- Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar said Israel's cabinet approved strikes on Iran two days after PM Modi's February visit ended, emphasizing the operational opportunity emerged only after Modi departed on February 26.
- Israel launched a large-scale military campaign against Iran in coordination with the United States in the early hours of February 28, accusing Tehran of developing nuclear weapons even as nuclear talks were underway.
- The strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several other key officials, and destroyed major administrative and military assets, according to the source.
- Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called Modi's visit "shameful" and accused him of "moral cowardice," saying Modi declared India stood with Israel and accepted an award for doing so.
- Congress Foreign Affairs chairman Salman Khurshid said the party was "deeply concerned" about the visit during heightened tensions and the palpable risk of a wider West Asia conflict.
- PM Modi made his second visit to Israel in nine years, holding a series of discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the February 25-26 trip.
Why it matters: By explicitly linking the strike approval window to Modi's departure, the Israeli envoy gave New Delhi diplomatic cover against domestic accusations that the visit amounted to political endorsement of military escalation, even as the opposition sharpened its attack on Modi's judgment in accepting an award from Israel during heightened regional tensions.
