War spillover hits world through Strait of Hormuz: French military expert

A French military expert has raised the alarm that the ripple effects of ongoing conflict in the Middle East are rapidly spreading worldwide via the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a chaotic global economic restructuring.

On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched large-scale military operations against Iran. Iran responded with strikes on Israeli targets and U.S. bases across the region.

As part of its response, Iran has restricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping route used to carry one-fifth of oil consumed globally.

The blockade of this vital global energy route is driving energy shocks that cascade into food, manufacturing, and financial markets.

During an interview with China Media Group, General Jerome Pellistrandi, editor-in-chief of France's magazine Revue Défense Nationale, described the situation as far more than a regional conflict which is causing widespread global economic disruption, primarily through energy crises.

"This global impact is first and foremost visible on the economic front. Some countries in Southeast Asia are already experiencing fuel shortages. The conflict is delivering a severe shock to the world economy, with effects reaching even into the United States. American voters in Texas, driving their vans, are clearly feeling the sharp rise in gasoline prices. What is truly worrying is that we are already in a state of global chaos," he said.

Pellistrandi also criticized the U.S. for destroying the international norms that prioritize diplomacy since World War II.

War spillover hits world through Strait of Hormuz: French military expert

War spillover hits world through Strait of Hormuz: French military expert

At least one person has died and several others have been hospitalized after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia’s Maluku Strait early on Thursday morning, with the quake also causing varying degrees of damage to multiple buildings in Manado, the capital city of the North Sulawesi province. The quake struck at 06:48 local time Thursday at a magnitude of 7.4 and a depth of 30 kilometers, according to measurements by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

There were scenes of panic outside a hospital in Manado when the quake hit, with several seconds of intense shaking causing cracks to appear in the building of the medical facility which belongs to the Siloam private healthcare group.

Patients and medical staff were urgently evacuated to the roadside, with some seen in wheelchairs or still connected to intravenous (IV) drips, while others were even pushed out of the wards on their hospital beds. A car parked downstairs was hit by falling debris, shattering its windows.

"Some people were sleeping at the time, some had just undergone surgery, and others were receiving treatment. The earthquake damaged the hospital's ceiling, and I also saw some cracks in the walls," said Billy Lombok, the family member of a patient.

A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted following the quake as Indonesian authorities observed no significant sea level changes.

Patients rushed out from hospital building as 7.4-magnitude quake hits Indonesia, killing one