A month that should have been peaceful was interrupted with unsettling clashes of power, bringing violence too close for liking within the region. There is a human cost to aggression between nations.
One can term it as politics, policies, or war, but when lives are lost, the impact has a ripple effect for years to come.
For lives have changed. History is being recorded. Civilian death tolls are being recorded. The ones who will suffer the most are children. Unfortunately, once again, schools and children end up being victims.
Just around the corner, there are the 1.5 million or so Gazans still requiring emergency shelter.
For many the reality might not have hit. For journalists, it is yet another day of work looking into incidents and developments and trying to be as accurate as possible.
There is an element of mental health crisis as well. The experts call it the "secondary trauma" affecting both local and international journalists constantly exposed to violent imagery.
We need to look at this again, as there could be an additional aspect— social media. There is this video of staff of a company at their accommodation looking at the sky with beams of light falling towards them. They were coming towards them, and they were still shooting. The fact that we were able to watch the video gives us the comfort of knowing they are safe.
The embassies in Oman have already issued advisories and begun to take measures to safeguard their citizens.
Safety must come first and we also have to bear in mind the security of the nation. We must respect the sentiments of all people. Watching these videos can have their own impact on people. That is not to say there is no need for information. Information flow is highly significant in transparency. But we have to make sure to be responsible.
Others had to know about the change in geopolitics when they were in mid-flight as the pilot announced the current situation in the Gulf and took a detour to the airport where they started from. And others were simply told to go back home, and they will be informed about the next flight. Thousands of flights were cancelled across the region, and we wish for normal days again. Maybe this will make us think of people and children who have never known a normal, peaceful day. We take normalcy for granted.
The global economic fallout must ease out again because the world is not ready for the energy shock. The situation along the Strait of Hormuz has already triggered a global energy shock and sent gold prices surging. It is the waterway not just for export but also for import.
As for social media influencers, they at times do not realise the impact of their visual content.
The digital frontlines have to be considered, as in today's world "anyone with a phone" can now be a war journalist, and the proliferation of AI and fake posts are eroding public trust. Now more than ever before, people are in the confusion of whether to trust or not.
There is a need for peace journalism. And one must remember there is an etiquette in producing content and videos. In Oman, the public has been urged to exercise caution while sharing content online.
Logistics is in focus not only because of the flight cancellations and the impact on the waterways but also because of the evacuations of citizens of specific countries from the Gulf region.
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There has been an aviation paralysis due to the widespread cancellation of flights by major carriers like Air India and Qatar Airways due to the closure of the UAE, Qatari, and Saudi airspace.
What is needed is humanitarian decisions and action.
Oman's narration has always been a peaceful dialogue. Oman has issued a condemnation of the military operations following the Israeli-US military operations against Iran on February 28, expressing "profound concern" and "deep regret." The Foreign Ministry labelled these acts as violations of state sovereignty and international law.
The statement also warned of wider conflict. Oman has warned that continuing military escalation risks a broader, uncontrollable regional conflict.
Oman has urged an immediate halt to all military actions and called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting to enforce a ceasefire.
Despite the hostilities, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, affirmed that the "door for diplomacy remains open." Oman continues to facilitate communication between the US and Iran to return to the path of negotiation.
Before the recent escalation, Oman had hosted indirect talks in Muscat and Geneva, reporting "significant progress" in negotiations aimed at reviving the nuclear deal.
In the current situation, there have been direct impacts on Oman beginning with the Port of Duqm incident on March 1, a suspected drone strike injuring one foreign worker. While Oman traditionally avoids direct involvement in conflicts, this incident marked a rare spillover of regional tensions onto Omani soil.
Coexistence is the only way forward for maintaining peace and we are interdependent.
As Desmond Tutu said, "My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together."
Lakshmi Kothaneth
The writer is a senior editor of Observer
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