India, Nov. 14 -- At least 25 seafarers have been killed in maritime incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Israeli war against Iran began in February, the United Nations has said, warning that attacks on commercial vessels are becoming an increasingly serious concern.

Khaled Khiari, the UN assistant secretary-general for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, shared the figures during a United Nations Security Council briefing on Friday. The data covers incidents recorded up to November 11. Khiari called for the full restoration of maritime navigation in the region and warned that the growing number of incidents must not become normalised. "This situation cannot be allowed to become the new normal," he said, stressing...