Israel shows map with J&K as part of Pakistan, apologizes
What's the story
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) apologized on Saturday for posting an incorrect map of India's international boundaries. The map, which showed Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan and Northeast India as part of Nepal, was shared amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel. After a backlash on social media, the IDF admitted that the map "fails to precisely depict borders" but claimed it was only an "illustration of the region."
Apology issued
IDF's post on X
The IDF said in its post on X, "This post is an illustration of the region. This map fails to precisely depict borders. We apologize for any offense caused by this image." The apology came after several users, mostly Indians, flagged the error and urged the Israeli military to retract the post. Some even tagged Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in their posts.
Twitter Post
IDF's post on X
Iran is a global threat.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 13, 2025
Israel is not the end goal, it’s only the beginning. We had no other choice but to act. pic.twitter.com/PDEaaixA3c
Political response
Congress slams Modi
The Congress party took the opportunity to criticize the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over India's foreign policy. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera tweeted, calling it a diplomatic embarrassment for Modi. "Another day, another feather in Vishwaguru's cap. His 'friend' shows 'Jammu & Kashmir as a part of Pakistan,'" he posted on X. Notably, Modi and Netanyahu share close ties and have often praised each other's leadership.
Escalating conflict
Map shared amid Iran-Israel conflict
The map was shared a day after Israel launched airstrikes on Tehran, targeting Iran's nuclear enrichment program. The strikes reportedly killed several top Iranian military commanders and over 70 others. In retaliation, Iran launched drones and missiles at multiple sites in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The situation further escalated on Saturday with both sides launching more rounds of attacks against each other.