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Tugboat Sinks in Strait of Hormuz, 3 Indonesian Crew Missing

FILE PHOTO: Tankers are seen off the coast of Fujairah, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tankers are seen off the coast of Fujairah, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo
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Tugboat Sinks in Strait of Hormuz, 3 Indonesian Crew Missing

FILE PHOTO: Tankers are seen off the coast of Fujairah, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tankers are seen off the coast of Fujairah, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo

Three Indonesian crew members are missing after a tugboat sank in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, Jakarta's foreign ministry said in a statement.

There have been numerous attacks on ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Israeli war on Iran started on February 28.

The tugboat had seven crew members from Indonesia, India and the Philippines, the ministry said, adding that four survived and three others, all Indonesians, are missing.

Before it sank, the boat experienced an explosion that caused it to catch fire, the statement said, adding that an investigation is ongoing by local authorities.

"One Indonesian survivor is currently receiving burn treatment at a hospital in the city of Khasab, Oman. The other three Indonesians are still being searched for by the local authorities," the Indonesian ministry said.

Another Indonesian national was at the location of the incident, but now on a different vessel and is currently safe, the statement added.

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Iran's Foreign Ministry Dismisses Idea of Talks While Country is Under Attack

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei (Iranian News Agency)
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei (Iranian News Agency)
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Iran's Foreign Ministry Dismisses Idea of Talks While Country is Under Attack

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei (Iranian News Agency)
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei (Iranian News Agency)

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson downplayed the likelihood of a ceasefire as long as attacks continue, Iran's Student News Network reported on Monday, ‌adding that ‌Iran would ‌continue ⁠to defend itself.

"There ⁠is no point to talks about anything but defense and crushing retaliations ⁠against enemies," ‌Esmaeil ‌Baghaei said, before reiterating ‌that Tehran has ‌no war to fight with its Muslim neighbors but must ‌target "facilities used by aggressors" for its legitimate ⁠defense.

The ⁠foreign ministry spokesperson also denied any Iranian attack against Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Cyprus, pointing instead at what he called "false flag attacks."

World

Japan to Deploy Counter-Strike Missiles Closer to China

A vehicle carrying the first batch of domestically developed long-range missiles, arrives at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, early Monday, March 9, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
A vehicle carrying the first batch of domestically developed long-range missiles, arrives at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, early Monday, March 9, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
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Japan to Deploy Counter-Strike Missiles Closer to China

A vehicle carrying the first batch of domestically developed long-range missiles, arrives at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, early Monday, March 9, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
A vehicle carrying the first batch of domestically developed long-range missiles, arrives at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, early Monday, March 9, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)

Japan will deploy a batch of long-range, counter-strike missiles in a southwest region near China by the end of March, officials said Monday.

The Ground Self-Defense Force plans to position its Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles, with a reported range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), in Kumamoto, Kyushu region, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a regular briefing.

"I have been told that once the necessary preparation has been made, the ministry of defense will brief local residents" about the move, said the top government spokesman.

Japan is attempting to shore up its military capacity as China increases its naval activities in the East China Sea.

It wants to hold its "counter-strike" capacity and use the missiles to hit enemy bases if Japan comes under direct attack.

Japan's ties with Beijing quickly soured after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on self-ruled Taiwan.

China views Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out taking it by force.

Since Takaichi's remark, Beijing has imposed economic pressure on Tokyo and discouraged Chinese nationals from visiting Japan.

Local media said Japan's ground force delivered a launcher for the missiles to Kumamoto overnight without an advance notice to local communities, prompting dozens of opponents to stage a protest in front of a local military base.

Critics of the move say the missiles' deployment could make the area a target of possible enemy attacks.

World

At Least 14 Dead after Migrant Boat Crashes into Coast Guard Vessel off Southern Türkiye

A Turkish flag is pictured on a boat in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 25, 2018. (Reuters)
A Turkish flag is pictured on a boat in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 25, 2018. (Reuters)
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At Least 14 Dead after Migrant Boat Crashes into Coast Guard Vessel off Southern Türkiye

A Turkish flag is pictured on a boat in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 25, 2018. (Reuters)
A Turkish flag is pictured on a boat in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 25, 2018. (Reuters)

At least 14 people were killed when an inflatable boat carrying migrants crashed into a Turkish coast guard vessel off Türkiye’s southern province of Antalya on Monday, ‌the coast ‌guard said ‌in ⁠a statement.

The coast ⁠guard said the high-speed boat was detected early on Monday off the coast of the ⁠Finike district of ‌Antalya ‌and that it tried to ‌flee from the ‌coast guard despite repeated warnings to stop. It later collided with a ‌coast guard vessel, the statement added.

It said six ⁠migrants ⁠and one Turkish national were rescued, but that 14 were found dead and 15 others were caught after continuing in their boat until they reached land.