MOSCOW: The families of Russian diplomats have left Israel, Russia’s ambassador to Tel Aviv Anatoly Viktorov said on Wednesday, as Israel and Iran traded fire for a sixth day.
“Almost all the wives and children of embassy employees” left on Tuesday via Egypt “to return to their homeland,“ Viktorov said, interviewed by pro-Kremlin presenter Vladimir Solovyev.
He also did not rule out the possibility that the Russian embassy could be moved “to a more secure location without leaving Israel,“ after another night of strikes between Israel and Iran.
Israel began launching an unprecedented wave of strikes across Iran on Friday, saying it aims to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon — a charge Iran denies.
The Israeli attacks have killed at least 224 people in Iran and wounded more than 1,000, according to an official toll released Sunday.
In retaliation, Iran has carried out attacks that have killed at least 24 people in Israel since Friday, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
Israel is home to a large Russian-born community.
