No embassy staff hurt in blast near Israeli mission in Delhi

NEW DELHI — An explosion near the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday (Dec 26) did not kill or wound any staff members, authorities said, adding that investigations into its cause were ongoing.

Officials were still inspecting the area but it had been reopened to the general public. There was no information suggesting anyone on the street had been hurt.

Israel urged its citizens in India, specifically in New Delhi, to exercise caution. The blast "may have been an attack", Israel's National Security Council said in a statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

Israeli missions around the world have been on alert amid a rise in antisemitic attacks since Israel launched its counteroffensive against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

"We can confirm that around 5.20pm there was a blast at close proximity to the embassy," Israeli Embassy spokesperson Guy Nir told Reuters, adding that local police and security teams were investigating.

Nothing had been found in the search operation three hours after the blast, an official involved in the investigation told Reuters.

In January 2021, a small bomb went off near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi without harming anyone. An Israeli official said at the time that Israel was treating the blast as a terrorist incident.

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