Four hurt in bombing of Israeli Embassy car in India
Four hurt in bombing of Israeli Embassy car in India
- NEW: Israeli prime minister blames the bombing and another attempted attack on Iran
- The wife of an Israeli defense wing officer and her Indian driver were wounded
- A witness described a “huge explosion”
- Another device was found on an Israeli Embassy car in Tblisi, Georgia
Jerusalem (CNN) — Four people were wounded when an explosive device attached to an Israeli Embassy van detonated near the Israeli mission in New Delhi, officials said Monday.
It was one of two explosives discovered on Israeli Embassy vehicles Monday. The other was found on an embassy car in Tblisi, Georgia, and that device was detonated in a controlled explosion with no injuries, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed both incidents on Iran, calling it “the biggest exporter of terror in the world.”
“The Israeli government and her security organizations are continuing to operate together with local security services against these acts of terror,” Netanyahu said. “We will continue to act in a strong way, systematically and steadfastly.”
One of the wounded in New Delhi is the wife of an Israeli defense wing officer and the other is the Indian driver of the car, said Syed Akbaruddin, a spokesman for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. He said both were being treated and “are OK.” Two others in a vehicle next to the van sustained minor injuries, according to BK Gupta, an Indian police official.
Akbaruddin said the car was about 500 meters (546 yards) from the Israeli mission at the time.
Another Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman had earlier confirmed that one Israeli was hurt in the blast.
A witness told CNN there was a “huge explosion sound” and he later saw a foreign woman and the Indian driver being removed from the car.
Israeli Foreign Ministry personnel based overseas have been on alert in recent weeks to the heightened possibility of attacks at Israeli facilities by Hezbollah, the Lebanese Muslim militant group and political party.
Sunday was the fourth anniversary of the death of Hezbollah leader Imad Mugniyah, who was killed in a car bombing in Damascus, Syria in 2008. His death is believed by many to have been the result of an operation by the Israeli spy agency Mossad.
Hezbollah holds Israel responsible for his death and has vowed revenge.
Both Netanyahu and Michael Herzog, former chief of staff to Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, noted two recent attempted attacks on Israeli citizens in Thailand and Azerbaijan. The Israeli government issued a travel advisory this year for citizens traveling to Thailand after Thai security officials arrested at least one Hezbollah-affiliated man connected with a planned attack in the country.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said this month that Iran would support any nation or group that stands up against Israel. He said Iran doesn’t interfere in other nations but has aided such militant groups as Hamas and Hezbollah in conflicts with Israel in Gaza and Lebanon.
“Taken together, maybe we are witnessing an Iranian attack against Israeli representation across the world,” Herzog said of Monday’s incidents and the thwarted bombings in Thailand and Azerbaijan.
CNN’s Sumnima Udas and Sara Sidner contributed to this report.
