Israel responded with an aerial and maritime blockade, a massive bombing campaign and ground invasion of Lebanon.
[2] The Government of India asked the Indian Armed Forces to help evacuate its citizens at risk from the conflict zone.
Neighbouring Sri Lanka and Nepal, which lacked military resources, also requested that the Indian government help evacuate their citizens.
Indian Navy Task Force 54, consisting of three warships and a fleet tanker, was returning to India from the Mediterranean following a goodwill visit and was just about to cross the Suez Canal.
Shakti was not deployed for a front-line evacuation since that vessel was more vulnerable without rapid reaction defence systems and less manoeuvrable.