Middle East live: Israeli military says two soldiers killed in southern Lebanon
Two Israeli reserve soldiers were killed during combat in southern Lebanon, the military said Thursday, where Israel has been fighting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Iran said an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz is in its final stages, while US President Donald Trump suggested a deal could be announced within days. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.
Indian merchant seafarers face increasing danger as the Middle East conflict escalates. Once a simple workplace, the sea has become a battlefield for thousands of Indian sailors transporting oil, fuel and essential cargo through some of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Since February's US-Israel war with Iran, many Indian seafarers have navigated through missile strikes, drone attacks and naval hostilities, resulting in fatalities, injuries and prolonged deployments in conflict zones.
India, the world's second-largest supplier of seafarers, has borne the brunt of these attacks, with 166 seafarers currently in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, while 3,972 have been repatriated. The mounting toll includes deaths such as Captain Ashish Kumar, Deonandan Prasad Singh, Deonandan Prasad Singh, and Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh, among others.
Calls are growing for stronger protection of merchant seafarers, with the Federation of Seafarers' Unions of India urging the deployment of Navy assets to safeguard Indian-flagged ships and crews in the threatened waters.
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- On the frontlines: How Indian sailors are paying the price in Middle East war timesofindia.indiatimes.com
