NEW DELHI: India has launched Operation Sindhu to bring back Indian nationals from Iran as the conflict between the Middle Eastern country and Israel entered sixth day on Wednesday.

The first evacuation flight bringing back a batch of Indians is likely to arrive in the early hours of Thursday, officials said.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Tuesday that Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety reasons through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy.

Track latest updates on Iran-Israel conflict here.

The officials said on Wednesday that the first evacuation flight of Indian nationals being moved out of Iran is likely to arrive in India from the Armenian capital of Yerevan around 2 am on June 19, the officials said.

Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, posted on X, "India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on 17th June. They departed from Yerevan on a special flight and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of 19th June 2025."

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Tehran, the Iranian capital, is under a fierce Israeli blitz which seeks to destroy Iran's nuclear programme and its ballistic missile capabilities.

Under Operation Rising Lion, Israel has conducted multiple strikes on the territory of Iran. Tehran retaliated after warning Israel and the military flare-up entered its sixth day on Wednesday, amid fears of a wider conflict.

In its statement issued on Tuesday, the MEA said other residents who are self-sufficient in terms of transport have also been advised to move out of the city in view of the developing situation.

Separately, some Indians have been facilitated to leave Iran through the border with Armenia, the MEA said, adding that further advisories may be issued given the fluid situation.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, 110 Indian students from Urmia Medical University, 90 of them from the Kashmir Valley, have safely crossed the border into Armenia.