Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the attack, saying the targeting of civilians and infrastructure was unacceptable
India has reacted to an Iranian drone strike on a petroleum industrial site in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X on Tuesday that New Delhi “strongly condemns” the attacks on the UAE that injured three Indian nationals.
“Targeting civilians and infrastructure is unacceptable,” he said in a strongly worded post, which did not name Iran.
The strike targeted the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone and caused a “major fire” at the site, the emirate’s media office said in a statement on Facebook on Monday. According to the authorities, the Indians hurt in the attack sustained slight injuries and were taken to the hospital.
Modi said India stands “in firm solidarity” with the UAE, and reiterated its support for the peaceful resolution of all issues “through dialogue and diplomacy.”
Ensuring safe and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is vital for enduring regional peace, stability, and global energy security, he added.
Separately, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson called for an “immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians.” The ministry reiterated New Delhi’s call for “free and unimpeded” navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE had said the attack was the first since a ceasefire was announced on April 8. The UAE Defense Ministry said earlier on Monday that three Iranian cruise missiles were successfully shot down over the Arab nation’s territorial waters. Iranian officials cited by state-run IRIB news agency, however, stated that Tehran has no plan to target the UAE.
A ceasefire between Iran and the US is seen as increasingly shaky as the two countries continue exchanging words over the Strait of Hormuz after the US announced an operation to escort trapped vessels through the strategic choke point. US President Donald Trump has decided to maintain a naval blockade of Iranian ports to pressure Tehran to agree to a peace settlement. Iranian officials term the blockade an “act of war” that violates the ceasefire.
The disruption of the key waterway, which accounted for around 20% of global seaborne oil trade before the conflict erupted, has led to soaring oil prices globally. Developing nations in the Global South, including India, have been hit severely.
(RT.com)
