Three boys play in the shallow waters of the Strait of Hormuz, as a plume of smoke rises from an explosion in the background, off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on July 13 (ISNA via AP)

India on Tuesday condemned the escalating violence in the Gulf after an Indian sailor was killed in an Iranian missile strike on two UAE tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The Ministry of External Affairs called for an immediate halt to hostilities, urging all sides to return to dialogue and ensure free, unimpeded navigation through the strategic waterway. The UAE said the missiles hit its tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah in Omani waters, killing one Indian crew member and injuring eight others, including six Indians.

US-Iran conflict intensifies

The developments came as the US launched a third consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran, saying the attacks were aimed at degrading Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump also announced a renewed naval blockade of Iranian ports and a 20 per cent cargo toll for vessels transiting the strait. Iran responded by claiming strikes on US military sites in Kuwait and warning that any American role in managing the strait would be treated as an act of war.

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