Blast outside Israeli Embassy could be 'terror attack', may be linked to 2012 explosion, says envoy Ron Malka

"The investigation is ongoing, gathering all evidence from the scene. There is full collaboration between Indian and Israeli authorities. As of now, our strong assumption is that it is a terror attack that targeted the Israeli Embassy. Fortunately, nobody was hurt," Ron Malka, the Israeli Envoy, told ANI.

"In 2012, there was a terror attack on Israeli diplomats in Delhi not far from the Embassy. It might be connected, there might be a pattern. We are investigating and this is one of the options," he said.

"All options are there on the table. Yesterday when this terror attack was conducted, we celebrated the 29th anniversary of the full establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and India, exactly yesterday. So, it may not be a coincidence but all options are being investigated," he added.

A low-intensity explosion took place near the Israel Embassy on Friday. No injuries have been reported in the incident so far. Windscreens of several cars parked in the vicinity of the Embassy on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road were found damaged.

On February 13, 2012, an Israeli embassy car exploded when a magnetic bomb stuck to it went off in a high-security area in New Delhi, injuring a wife of an Israeli defence envoy to New Delhi.

On the same day, a bomb was also planted under an Israeli diplomatic car in the Georgian capital Tbilisi but it failed to detonate.

The Friday explosion took place not far from Vijay Chowk, where several VVIPS including Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were in attendance during the 'Beating Retreat' ceremony.

Investigators have recovered an envelope with text written on it related to Israel Embassy officials from the blast site, according to sources.

"The envelope has a text related to an Israel embassy official. It is a case for investigating officers to see whether or not it has any link with the case. But, it has been recovered from the blast site," a senior government official told ANI.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar assured the Israeli Foreign Minister of "fullest protection" to their diplomats.