War again rages in West Asia; Ship with Indians hit, Iran declares Hormuz ‘closed’
New Delhi, July 12: As war raged again in West Asia, a commercial ship, with Indians on board, was hit today in the Strait of Hormuz which has been declared “closed” by Iran in bad news for the economies around the world.
One Indian was missing while 10 were rescued after the attack on their vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman earlier today, the Indian External Affairs Ministry said in a statement and condemned the incident.
Economies around the world are expected to be hit again, with the movement of fuel vessels across the Strait of Hormuz being hit as Iran declared it “closed” after facing the US bombardements.
The US carried out massive attacks on Iran, which is retaliating by targeting American military bases in the regional countries, like Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and UAE, besides Israel.
Western media reports claimed the US hit 140 targets, including the headquarters of Iraninan military Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and crucial oil facilities.
Overnight US strikes on Iran killed one soldier, Iranian media reported Sunday.
“Lieutenant Hamidreza Dehghani, of the navy of the Islamic republic’s armed forces, was martyred during the criminal, terrorist attack last night by the United States on the port of Jask” in southern Iran, the Mehr and Tasnim news agencies said, citing a local official.
Qatar reported injuries from interception debris.
An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said that the Strait of Hormuz was more important than “dozens of atomic bombs”, vowing to protect the vital waterway.
“This strategic passage is more important than dozens of atomic bombs, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will protect it,” Mohsen Rezaee was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying.
Western countries accuse Iran of seeking to create an atomic bomb, but Tehran has insisted its nuclear programme is for peaceful, civilian purposes.
Oman Summons Iran’s Ambassador, Issues Formal Protest
Oman, which hosted Iranian Foreign Minister yesterday for talks on the Strait of Hormuz, today lodged a formal protest following an attack on the country,
In a rare instance, Oman publicly slammed Iran for targeting its territory as Tehran’s Ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry.
“Oman expresses its profound dismay at these irresponsible acts, and underscores the imperative of adhering to the provisions of state sovereignty, good neighbourliness, non-interference in internal affairs,” the state news agency said in a post on social media.
UAE condemns Iranian missile and drone attacks
The UAE strongly condemned the renewed Iranian attacks targeting the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Sultanate of Oman with missiles and drones.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attacks were a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the countries concerned and posed a serious threat to their security and stability.
The ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s full solidarity with Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman, and reiterated its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding their security and stability.
Qatar calls Iran attacks a ‘dangerous escalation
Qatar condemned Iranian attacks against its territory and its neighbours, after the Islamic republic launched salvos against Arab countries.
“Qatar condemns in the strongest possible terms the renewed attacks carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, also referring to the targeting of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait and calling the barrages a “dangerous escalation”.
The Australian Embassy in Doha has closed its public services on Sunday due to the ongoing regional security situation, as Qatar responded to fresh security alerts and reported missile interceptions.
In a statement, the embassy said it would remain closed to the public “due to the ongoing regional security situation”. Australians requiring urgent assistance were advised to contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre at +61 2 6261 3305.
The closure came as Qatar’s Ministry of Interior reportedly raised the security threat level for the second time on Sunday, with residents urged to remain indoors during interception operations.
Qatar suspends maritime activities until further notice
Qatar’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) has temporarily suspended maritime activities following a circular issued on Sunday, citing public safety concerns.
The suspension applies to owners and users of marine vessels, including leisure boats, fishing boats, jet skis and other similar craft. The measure is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice.
The ministry said vessels covered by international maritime conventions are exempt and may continue operating in line with applicable regulations and procedures.
MOT urged the public to comply with the directive and said any updates would be announced through official channels in coordination with relevant authorities. (BVI)
