Sri Lanka has activated round the clock Consular helplines after Israel’s air raids on roughly 100 Iranian nuclear and military sites were answered by Tehran with more than 250 ballistic missiles, several of which reached Tel Aviv.
Air raid sirens sent Tel Aviv residents into shelters as waves of missiles streaked across the sky and interceptors were fired to meet them. At least three people were killed overnight. An Israeli official said Iran had fired around 200 ballistic missiles in four waves.
“Our Embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran are on a 24 hour footing. Hotlines are open and our nationals have been told to remain near shelters, limit travel and stock essentials,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thushara Rodrigo told the Sunday Observer yesterday. He said that about 20,000 Sri Lankans live and work in Israel – mostly in agriculture and elder care – while fewer than 50 reside in Iran.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Israel Nimal Bandara said no Sri Lankans were hurt in Friday night’s salvo that struck the Tel Aviv–Jerusalem corridor, including Herzliya, where many Sri Lankan caregivers are based. Many of the Iranian missiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile shield and also by the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
The Embassy in Tel Aviv remains “fully operational and in constant contact with community leaders and Israeli authorities”, he added. Bandara called upon nationals who went home on vacation but plan to return to Israel to email copies of their passports and re entry visas so that the mission can extend travel authorisations in case border formalities are tightened. Ambassador Bandara said that three Sri Lankan nationals en route to Israel from Sri Lanka are currently stranded at the Dubai International Airport. The Sri Lankan Consulate General in Dubai and the Embassy in Abu Dhabi are actively coordinating assistance. Five Sri Lankans are stranded at the Abu Dhabi Airport.
Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Syria have all sealed their airspace, forcing hundreds of international flights to divert or turn back. Major carriers from the Gulf, Europe, India and the United States have suspended services to Tel Aviv and Tehran until further notice.
SriLankan Airlines said yesterday it is rerouting its Europe bound services via Egypt and the Mediterranean, adding up to 30 minutes’ flying time and, in one case, a refuelling stop in Doha. Passengers were asked to arrive early and expect schedule tweaks while the detours remain in force.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has expressed “deep concern” over the spiralling violence and appealed to both Israel and Iran to “exercise maximum restraint and return to dialogue.”
The country’s traditional non aligned stance leaves it juggling strategic ties with Israel – a key labour destination – and long standing economic links with Iran.
Iranian State TV reported that around 60 people, including 20 children, had been killed in an attack on a housing complex, with more strikes reported across the country. Israel said it had attacked more than 150 targets. Israel has threatened to burn Tehran to the ground if more drone and missile attacks are launched from Iran.
Gulf Arab States who fear that the missile exchange might spill into a wider regional conflict have urged calm. Worries about disruption to the Gulf region’s crucial oil exports boosted the price of crude oil by about seven percent on Friday, though there is no immediate danger of an oil shortage or retail price hike.
Emergency Contact Information:
Embassy of Sri Lanka – Israel
• +94 71 844 7305 – Deputy Head of Mission
• +94 71 683 3513 – Advisor (Labour Welfare)
• +94 71 974 2095 – Second Secretary (Labour Welfare)
(Available via WhatsApp for emergencies only)
Embassy of Sri Lanka – Tehran
Mr. K.G.U. Lakmal – +98 939 205 5161
