At least 25 sailors have been killed in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters since the conflict involving the United States and Israel began in late February, UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari said.
Report informs, citing Al Jazeera, that the toll covers the period through November 11. Khiari said the number of incidents in and around the strait had risen, reaching its highest monthly level since the conflict began in October.
"We cannot allow this situation to become the new normal," he said, calling for the full restoration of maritime traffic in the region.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) recorded 136 security incidents involving vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and elsewhere in the Middle East from March 1 through November 11. Of those, 35 occurred in October and 10 in November.