In a significant move, Israel on Tuesday officially declared Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) a terror organization to mark the 15th anniversary of deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

In a press statement released by the Israeli Embassy in India, the country said that all the necessary procedures have been completed to declare LeT as a terror outfit in a move to project “a Unified Global Front in combating terrorism.”

The statement also noted that the decision to declare LeT a terrorist outfit has been taken without any official request from the Government of India.

“While Israel only lists terror organizations who are actively operating against it from within or around its borders, or in a similar manner to India – those globally recognized by UNSC or the US state department; the Israeli ministries of Defense and Foreign affairs, have jointly worked in the last few months towards an expedited and extraordinary listing of the Lashkar -e- Taiba organization on this date, to highlight the importance of a Unified Global Front in combating terrorism,” the statement reads.

Hundreds of people, including two Israeli nationals – Gabriel Holtzberg and Rivka Holtzberg – were killed by Pakistani terrorists on November 26 in 2008. During the attacks, the terrorists also targetted Chabad Lubavitch Jewish centre in Mumbai, also known as Chabad House.

Calling LeT a “deadly and reprehensible terror organization”, the Israeli Embassy said that its “heinous actions on November 26, 2008 still reverberate in force, through all peace seeking nations and societies.”

The development comes amid Israel’s war against Palestinian militant outfit Hamas following the brutal October 7 attacks in which more than 1,200 people, mostly non-combatant civilians, were killed. The Hamas militants also kidnapped some 240 Israelis during the attack.

While India has condemned the brutal terrorist attack on Israel, it has also called for peace in the Gaza amid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis as a result of Hamas attack and Israel’s subsequent retaliatory air and ground assault.