Israel on Tuesday designated Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as a terror organisation, terming it "deadly and reprehensible". The move came just hours ahead of a BRICS Summit being hosted by South Africa to discuss the Israel-Hamas war and a day before a G20 virtual summit.

Israel's decision marks the 15th anniversary of 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, which were carried out by LeT. Israel's embassy in New Delhi said that the Indian government did not seek this action. It also called the LeT a "deadly and reprehensible terror organisation, responsible for the murder of hundreds of Indian civilians as well as others".

"While Israel only lists terror organisations who are actively operating against it from within or around its borders, or in a similar manner to India - those globally recognised by UNSC or the US State Department, the Israeli ministries of defence and foreign affairs have jointly worked in the last few months towards an expedited and extraordinary listing of the Lashkar-e-Taiba organisation on this date, to highlight the importance of a unified global front in combating terrorism," the embassy said in a statement.

"The state of Israel offers its sincere condolences to all victims of terrorism and to the survivors and bereaved families of the Mumbai attacks...," the statement added.