China urges reopening of Strait of Hormuz

BEIJING: China has called on Iran and the United States to exercise restraint and work towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz as tensions continue to affect security across the Middle East.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi in Beijing on Wednesday.

Wang said China was urging both sides to remain rational and return to the Islamabad memorandum while holding substantive discussions on issues of mutual concern. He also called on all parties to take effective steps to reopen the strategically important waterway as soon as possible.

China, he said, did not want the ongoing regional tensions to spread further into Yemen and the Red Sea.

Wang reaffirmed Beijing’s longstanding policy towards Tehran, saying China was prepared to strengthen communication and coordination with Iran.

Meanwhile, newly obtained photographs have reportedly shown extensive damage at several US military facilities across the Middle East following Iranian missile and drone attacks.

According to a CBS News report, images supplied by active-duty US service members show damaged buildings, vehicles and aircraft at American positions in the region.

One photograph from Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia reportedly shows severe damage to a Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft, including the destruction of its rear section. Other images showed damaged buildings, barracks and protective barriers at the facility.

Photographs from Camp Buehring in Kuwait, an important US military staging area, also reportedly showed significant damage.

The developments came after a US Defence Department inspector general report estimated equipment losses linked to the conflict with Iran at up to $3.7 billion, including nearly 60 aircraft.

The report said US Central Command had recorded Iranian attacks on American bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.