Rush Hour: Centre confirms some Indians killed in West Asia conflict, Iran toll rises to 787 & more

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that some Indians have been killed in the conflict in West Asia, while some are missing. The ministry said that the developments have evoked “great anxiety”, as India has critical stakes in the security and stability of the Gulf region.

The ministry highlighted that nearly one crore Indians live and work in the region, and their safety and well-being remain its “utmost priority”.

On Monday, the Directorate General of Shipping had confirmed that three Indian seafarers were killed and one injured amid the conflict while serving on board foreign-flagged vessels. However, it said that no Indian-flagged vessels have reported casualties.

The conflict began on Saturday after Israel and the US launched a joint operation targeting the Iranian regime, alleging that its actions constituted an “existential threat to Israel”. Tel Aviv has been claiming that Iran is “closer than ever” to obtaining a nuclear weapon, even as Tehran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes. Read more.

The Iranian Red Crescent said that at least 787 persons have been killed in the country since the United States and Israel began attacking the country on February 28. In the past four days, over 1,000 strikes hit 153 cities and more than 500 locations in Iran, the humanitarian group said.

The United States...

Read more