India calls Lebanon strikes ‘very disturbing’ after 303 killed in a day

India on Friday voiced deep concern over the “large number of civilian casualties” in Lebanon following weeks of intense Israeli bombardment, stressing the need to protect civilians and uphold international law and state sovereignty.

The remarks came amid escalating violence after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel on March 2, prompting Israeli forces to strike targets across Lebanon and launch a ground offensive in the south. The campaign has reportedly killed around 1,800 people and injured thousands, with a single day of airstrikes this week leaving more than 300 dead and raising fears of a breakdown in a fragile truce involving Iran and the United States.

“We are deeply concerned by reports of a large number of civilian casualties that have been reported in Lebanon,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, noting India’s role as a troop contributor to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). He described the situation as “very disturbing” and reiterated that protecting civilians must remain the foremost priority.

While Jaiswal did not explicitly name Israel, the comments were seen as a rare expression of concern over its military actions. He emphasised the importance of respecting international law and the territorial integrity of states.

India’s embassy in Beirut is in close contact with the roughly 1,000-strong Indian community in Lebanon to ensure their safety.

The latest escalation saw Israeli forces hit over 100 targets across Lebanon within minutes on Wednesday, marking one of the deadliest days since the end of the country’s civil war in 1990. More than 1.1 million people have reportedly been displaced over the past month.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the strikes violated the US-Iran truce and risk undermining ongoing negotiations.

India said it is closely monitoring developments in West Asia and engaging regional partners. Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri visited Qatar on April 9–10, while external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is set to travel to the United Arab Emirates on April 11–12 to strengthen ties and safeguard India’s energy security.

During his visit, Puri conveyed India’s support to Qatar’s leadership, including Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Qatar reaffirmed its commitment as a key energy supplier to India.

Officials also highlighted India’s efforts to support regional partners, including fuel supplies to Sri Lanka and plans for energy cooperation with Mauritius.

Separately, 2,180 Indian nationals — including students and fishermen — have been evacuated from Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to officials.