The Indian Embassy in Muscat has warned the public about a misleading message being circulated on WhatsApp claiming to be an official advisory.
In a new notification, the embassy said the message was fraudulent and confirmed that no such advisory had been issued by the mission.
“We urge members of the public to refrain from forwarding or sharing these unverified messages,” the embassy said in a statement.
Officials also advised people to rely only on reliable sources for information. According to the statement, only original updates will be shared through the embassy’s official social media channels.
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The clarification comes after a message began circulating online referring to a previous consultation regarding emergency arrangements in Muscat. According to the letter, the embassy in Muscat’s diplomatic area, Al Khuwair, has not identified public gathering points in open spaces to prevent large gatherings due to the current security situation. Instead, she said, a “shelter and assembly network” was activated using the existing infrastructure of the Indian community.
The message circulated also advised people not to go directly to Muscat International Airport but to wait for the coordinated batches to depart to avoid overcrowding. It also mentioned additional Air India and IndiGo flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi scheduled between March 5 and 7.
Tensions escalate in the US-Israeli-Iran war
Tensions spread further throughout the region. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani accused Iran of trying to drag neighboring countries into the conflict during a phone call with Tehran’s Foreign Minister. Türkiye also summoned the Iranian ambassador after a missile believed to be targeting a base in Cyprus fell inside Turkish territory.
Global shipping disruptions have worsened with Danish shipping giant Maersk suspending new bookings in the Gulf after assessing the risks. The company had already suspended routes through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz, an important route for global oil shipments, with many other shipping companies taking similar measures.
The Omani Navy announced that it rescued 24 crew members of a container ship that was hit by missiles in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces later claimed to have taken control of the strait, a day after Trump announced that the US Navy was ready to escort tankers through the waterway.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka said that its naval forces recovered 87 bodies after an American submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship off its coast. Searches are still ongoing for others who are still missing.
