HYDERABAD: A cloud of unease has settled over the Indian communities in Iran and Israel following the fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes on Iran in the early hours of Friday. The sound of distant explosions has not only rattled Tehran but also the nerves of hundreds of Indian families whose loved ones are caught in this rising storm.
Amid these tense developments, Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, vice-president of the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) and representative of its Foreign Medical Students Wing, described an anxious dawn in Tehran.
“Indian medical students there heard the blasts at 4 am and immediately reached out to me,” he told TNIE.
“There are roughly 500 to 700 Indian medical students scattered across Iran. I’m in constant touch with the colleges and the families back home. Should matters spiral further out of control, evacuation plans will be set in motion in coordination with the concerned authorities.” But such an evacuation, Khan admitted, will not be without peril.
As fears of Iranian retaliation gather force, Israel too has sealed its borders tighter. Airports have been shut, and emergency protocols have been triggered, said Israel Telangana Association president Soma Ravi.
Nearly 30,000 Indian expats in Israel
The atmosphere, Ravi confirmed, was fraught with quiet apprehension.
“Nearly 30,000 Indians are in Israel at present, about 6,000 from Telangana alone,” Ravi revealed. “The government has banned public gatherings. Except for essential services such as food and healthcare, everything has been ordered to remain closed until Sunday.”
The Indian government has already issued urgent travel advisories, warning its citizens in both nations to remain on high alert and avoid unnecessary movement.
Ravi added that of the Telanganite expatriates in Israel, a vast majority, nearly 80%, hail from Nizamabad and Jagtial. Many work as caretakers and construction labourers.
Amidst this uncertainty, Naveen, a construction worker in Israel, said the streets remain calm for now, but the fear of a sudden Iranian response lingers. “So far, there’s no direct tension here, but the government expects retaliation and is taking precautions,” he said.