India calls for restraint, civilian protection amid escalating Mideast tensions

Urging all sides in the Middle East to maintain restraint, India said the conflict must not take a wider regional dimension and "dialogue and diplomacy" should be channelised to resolve all conflicting issues.

In Short

• India calls for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve Middle East conflict
• This comes after Iran fired over 180 missiles at Israel
• Middle East sees escalation in tensions for almost an year following Gaza war

India on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the fresh escalation in the Middle East following Iran's missile attacks on Israel and said the conflict must not take a wider regional dimension while calling for restraint among parties.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stressed that "dialogue and diplomacy" should be channelised to resolve all conflicting issues.

"We are deeply concerned at the escalation of the security situation in West Asia and reiterate our call for restraint by all concerned and protection of civilians. It is important that the conflict doesn’t take a wider regional dimension and we urge that all issues be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy," MEA said in a statement.

India's statements came a day after Iran, in an unprecedented attack on Israel, fired more than 180 ballistic missiles on the Jewish nation.

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Alarms sounded across Israel and explosions were heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley. Israelis piled into bomb shelters and reporters on state television lay flat on the ground during live broadcasts.

According to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, hypersonic Fattah missiles were used for the first time, and 90 per cent of them hit their targets in Israel.

Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that most missiles were intercepted "by Israel and a defensive coalition led by the US". "Iran's attack is a severe and dangerous escalation," he tweeted.

No injuries were reported in Israel, but one man was killed in the West Bank, authorities said.

The Middle East has been witnessing a tumultuous security situation for nearly one year after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking hostage over 200 others. The attack triggered the war in Gaza, which has killed over 41,000 people.