New Delhi [India], June 24: A total of 165 Indian nationals were safely evacuated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) under Operation Sindhu from Jordan, as tensions continue to rise due to the Israel-Iran conflict. The evacuees arrived in Delhi on Monday morning aboard an IAF C-17 aircraft, where they were received by Minister of State L. Murugan.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared details of the operation in a post on X (formerly Twitter):
“An IAF C-17 flight evacuated 165 Indian nationals from Israel under Operation Sindhu. They were received by MoS Dr. L. Murugan upon arrival in Delhi. The aircraft landed at 0845 hrs on 24th June from Amman (Jordan).”
The IAF also confirmed its continued efforts, stating that missions from Jordan and Egypt are underway to bring Indian nationals and citizens of friendly nations to safety.
“In response to heightened tensions in West Asia, IAF C-17 aircraft commenced missions from Jordan and Egypt. The IAF remains committed as first responders across the globe in times of need,” the Air Force said.
Union Minister L. Murugan, welcoming the evacuees at Delhi’s Palam airport, said:
“Today, the second aircraft from Israel landed with 165 passengers. They belong to 22 different Indian states. Most of them are students and workers. The Prime Minister’s priority is to ensure the safe return of all Indians stuck in war-affected areas.”
Evacuees expressed gratitude toward the Indian government and the Indian embassy in Jordan. One passenger described the situation as extremely tense, with bombings and sirens occurring even moments before crossing the Israeli border.
Earlier today, another batch of 161 Indians arrived in Delhi from Israel under the same operation and were welcomed by MoS for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita.
Operation Sindhu’s Israel phase officially began on June 23, as confirmed by Randhir Jaiswal, who reiterated that the safety of Indian nationals abroad is the government’s top priority.
Background of the Conflict:
The Israel-Iran conflict intensified on June 13 when Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion”, targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites. In retaliation, Iran initiated “Operation True Promise 3”, launching drone and missile attacks on Israeli energy and military targets.
The situation further escalated after the US conducted airstrikes on June 22 under “Operation Midnight Hammer”, striking three Iranian nuclear sites. Iran then responded with missile attacks on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq, including the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US base in the region.