New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a media briefing on Wednesday (October 28), said 22 Indians have lost their lives in the ongoing war in West Asia, 14 of which were seafarers.“The war has claimed the lives of 22 Indian nationals since February, including 14 seafarers,” said Jaiswal.Expressing concern about the geopolitical situation in the region, he added, “We are deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in West Asia. We remain in close touch with our community in the Gulf region for their safety and well-being.”On February 28, United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, killing its supreme leader and several senior officials. This spurred retaliation from Tehran, which struck several US bases across the Gulf and restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz – a crucial international waterway.Since then, multiple vessels travelling the route, including Indian seafarers and sailors on foreign-flagged ships, have been targeted by deadly attacks.In his address, Jaiswal said that three Indians have been killed in Saudi Arabia as the country has been facing attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militant group.On October 11, Saudi Arabia witnessed one of the kingdom’s deadliest attacks in recent history, when Houthi militants struck the Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, killing 12 people and injured more than 300. At least one Indian was killed and 11 others were injured in the attack.