Modi, Netanyahu Discuss West Asia Developments Amid Ongoing Conflict

: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, August 6, received a telephone call from his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and they exchanged views on the recent developments in West Asia. The two leaders also reviewed sustained progress in India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the bilateral cooperation across various sectors for the mutual benefit of the two countries, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said. “PM Netanyahu and PM Modi exchanged views on the recent developments in West Asia. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch,” the statement said. The conflict in West Asia is continuing for over five months now without any permanent solution. Iran on Thursday said it is in the final stage of drafting an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz waterway with Oman, while two Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon. The Strait is crucial to global shipping and energy supplies. Before the war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, around one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas would pass through the waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.