Srinagar: Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, Israel has updated its travel advisory, urging its nationals in the Kashmir region, excluding Ladakh—to leave immediately.
PTI reported that the advisory was issued on Wednesday following Indian air and missile strikes across LoC and Pakistan’s Punjab province. In response, Pakistan carried out heavy artillery and mortar shelling along the Line of Control, reportedly the most intense in years.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry asked its citizens to avoid visiting Jammu and Kashmir and to follow local security instructions. It said the directive aligns with earlier guidance from Israel’s National Security Council.
The Indian armed forces carried out missile attacks on nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK) early Wednesday in response to the April 22 attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.
In view of the escalating tension, the authorities have ordered that all educational institutions in five border districts of Jammu region will remain closed for the second day on Thursday.
The administration in Jammu division has also set up 24×7 control rooms in all the 10 districts of the region.
Thursday’s shelling was the 14th consecutive night of firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened tension following the Pahalgam attack.
Ceasefire violations along the LoC and the International Border have been very rare after India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.
The worst-hit Poonch sector in Jammu, which recorded 13 deaths in Wednesday’s intense shelling, remained by and large peaceful at night.
Hundreds of border residents have already moved to safer areas in view of the flare up.
