Ahead of the anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Israel on Tuesday listed Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terror organisation, reported The Indian Express.

Ten Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists had carried out a dozen coordinated shooting and bombing attacks at various major landmarks across Mumbai on November 26, 2008. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 166 persons, including 26 foreigners.

On Tuesday, the Israeli embassy in India said that the decision was taken to symbolise the 15th anniversary of the attacks.

“Lashkar-e-Taiba is a deadly and reprehensible terror organisation, responsible for the murder of hundreds of Indian civilians as well as others,” the embassy said. “Its heinous actions on November 26, 2008, still reverberate in force, through all peace seeking nations and societies.”

It described the move as “extraordinary”, stating that Israel only lists terror organisations that operate against it from within or around its borders and those that are recognised by the United Nations Security Council and the US State Department.

The Pakistan-based group has been listed as a “Foreign Terrorist Organisation” by the US State Department.

On Tuesday, the embassy said that the action was taken to “highlight the importance of a unified global front in combating terrorism”.

“The state of Israel offers its sincere condolences to all victims of terrorism and to the survivors and bereaved families of the Mumbai attacks, including those in Israel,” it said. “We stand with you united in the hope for a better peaceful future.”

The development comes after Israel asked India to list Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, as a terror organisation. This was after Hamas launched an unprecedented multi-pronged attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of 1,200 people.

In response, Israel declared war on Gaza and the offensive has entertained its seventh week. So far, over 13,000 Palestinians have been killed in the relentless air and ground strikes from Israeli forces.