PM Modi calls Israel’s Netanyahu, urges ‘early cessation of hostilities’ amid widening Israel-US conflict with Iran

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging an “early cessation of hostilities” and stressing that the safety of civilians must be a priority, as Middle East tensions surge following coordinated Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran.

In an X post early Monday, Modi said he conveyed India’s concerns over recent developments in the region and emphasised civilian protection amid escalating violence. “India reiterates the need for an early cessation of hostilities,” he wrote.



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The call comes as Israel and the United States have intensified military operations against Iran, targeting high-level leadership and strategic sites, including in Tehran, in what both countries have described as efforts to counter perceived threats from Iranian forces.

Iranian state media confirmed the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the strikes -- a development that has deepened the crisis and triggered Iranian retaliatory attacks on U.S. bases and Israeli territory.

Netanyahu has publicly framed the joint campaign as necessary to dismantle what he calls an “existential threat”, even as regional instability grows and world powers urge restraint. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has vowed “severe punishment” for its adversaries following the strikes, underlining the risk of broader conflict.

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Global calls for de-escalation have mounted, with United Nations and global leaders urging all sides to open diplomatic channels and protect civilians from further harm.