Iran-Israel war

No Sri Lankans have been known to be harmed in Israel following retaliatory attacks launched by Iran, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Israel, Nimal Bandara has confirmed.

Ambassador Nimal Bandara said Israel banned public gatherings, shut schools and workplaces and moved hospital patients to underground facilities on Saturday as Tehran launched missiles towards Israel in retaliation for a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.

Defence Minister Israel Katz also declared a state of emergency across the country, warning the public of Iranian missile and drone attacks.

The military ordered the public to follow emergency guidance while urging residents against non-essential travel so as to allow security and emergency vehicles to move freely, Ambassador Nimal Bandara.

The Ambassador said he expects the situation to be brought under control in two days.

Ambassador Nimal Bandara said since the Ben Gurion Airport remains closed, Sri Lanka hoping to leave Israel and those hoping to arrive in the country will be required to postpone their travel plans.

He said the Embassy is taking all measures to educate the Sri Lankans in Israel on all safety measures and other protocols.

A number of senior figures in Iran are known to have been killed in Saturday’s strikes on Iran.

The Israeli military has also published a list of senior Iranian officials it says were killed in Saturday’s airstrikes.

They include:

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, who was killed on Saturday morning at his office Aziz Nasirzadeh, the country’s defense minister Ali Shamkhani, the head of the Iranian Security Council Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Abdolrahim Mousavi, country’s armed forces chief of staff Saleh Asadi, an intelligence official Hossein Jabal Amelian and Reza Mozaffari-Nia, research officials Mohammed Shirazi, longtime defense liason Iranian television State media has also reported that Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law and grandchild were killed in the attack

An intelligence source and military source has told CBS News that overall around 40 Iranian officials were killed in the strikes.