Iran is blocking with missiles and mines the strait through which 20 per cent of global crude oil transits. After China, India and Bangladesh are trying to get Iran’s approval for their ships to avert a crisis. According to EIA data, up to 82 per cent of oil going through Hormuz reach Asian markets. Starting 16 March, Tokyo intends to release part of its oil reserves on its own.

In a letter to the authorities and the people, the apostolic vicar speaks of days “marked by the pain and uncertainty of war”. He calls for a “common and tireless commitment to peace”. Iranian attacks continue, with two buildings and a hotel hit overnight. In the background are the sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis that have inflamed the country in the past.

There have already been several victims among the many expatriate communities. The first death in the Jewish state from an Iranian missile was that of a Filipino caregiver. The conflict has also spread to the seas, with a seafarer killed on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman. A Pakistani, a Nepalese and a Bangladeshi citizen are the three people killed in the United Arab Emirates.

The attacks launched by Israel and the United States on the eve of Purim and Iran's retaliation against US bases in the region have already claimed the life of one Asian immigrant, a Pakistani national working in Abu Dhabi. In India, the opposition has criticised Modi, who has just returned from Israel. Indonesia’s Prabowo (who promised soldiers for Gaza) offers to mediate. China ponders the repercussions.

Tensions have been triggered by the new map presented to the UN by Baghdad, which redefines sovereignty in a disputed area. Two strategic areas (Fasht Al Qaid and Fasht Al A'aij) over which Kuwait exercises sovereignty are in the spotlight. At stake are economic, historical and social issues, as well as the definition of strategic trade corridors.

In the latest instalment of AsiaNews' reportage in the Vicariate of Northern Arabia, Fr Paulraj Devaraj shares his testimony. A “multicultural” community looks on with concern at regional tensions, from Gaza to Iran. There is “greater sensitivity” among the faithful, many of whom have “family and friends affected by the war”. The parish alone is the “centre” of activities, with numerous pastoral challenges.