{"id":6413,"date":"2026-03-04T14:53:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T14:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.maryknollsociety.org\/magazine\/?p=6413"},"modified":"2026-04-06T14:55:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T14:55:21","slug":"us-israeli-war-with-iran-threatens-crisis-for-broader-asia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.maryknollsociety.org\/magazine\/us-israeli-war-with-iran-threatens-crisis-for-broader-asia\/","title":{"rendered":"US-Israeli War with Iran Threatens Crisis for Broader Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>By &nbsp;John Dayal, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucanews.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UCA News<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The eruption of hostilities between Israel, the United States, and Iran \u2014 codenamed \u201cOperation Epic Fury\u201d \u2014 has thrust Asia into a precarious and highly sensitive geopolitical and humanitarian crisis, evoking a hesitant response of protest rallies and peace prayers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Feb. 28, the coordinated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2026\/03\/attacks-on-iran-a-shocked-world-fears-consequences-of-ongoing-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">US-Israeli airstrikes<\/a> that assassinated Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei triggered a cascade of missile and drone retaliations from Iran targeting Israeli cities and American bases across the Gulf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The conflict\u2019s opening salvos have already claimed over 500 civilian lives, sent global oil prices soaring toward US$150 a barrel, and revived nuclear tensions. But it is not a distant thunder for Asia, home to nearly two billion Muslims and millions of its migrant workers in the line of fire in West Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tempest touches the emotions and economies of the people \u2014 Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and the small Christian communities in each of the countries in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Asia stands as the epicenter of the world\u2019s Muslim population. Countries such as Indonesia (230 million Muslims), Pakistan (240 million, 97% of its population), India (200 million, about 14%), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2023\/12\/a-rich-poverty-in-bangladesh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bangladesh<\/a> (150 million, around 90%), and Malaysia (20 million, 60%) collectively host over 1.9 billion Muslims \u2014 about 62% of the global Muslim population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This staggering demographic reality overshadows the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2025\/07\/pope-condemns-violence-in-middle-east-calls-for-end-to-barbarity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Middle East<\/a>\u2019s 400 million Muslims and shapes the cultural, political and social contours of the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Street protests have erupted across the continent, from Karachi\u2019s deadly clashes that left 22 dead on March 1, to Srinagar\u2019s simmering unrest over Khamenei\u2019s assassination, to Dhaka\u2019s mosques amplifying Tehran\u2019s grief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Protests have also been held in New Delhi and many other capitals. Prayer meetings have been called in India\u2019s national capital by laity groups, and in southern Kerala state by dioceses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These protests express defiance but also deep-seated political and religious solidarity, echoing memories of past conflicts, fears, and grievances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Asian Church promotes dialogue in times of tension<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, Asia\u2019s governments are caught in complex geopolitical webs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2025\/10\/scourge-of-abuse-haunts-women-in-indias-kashmir\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">India<\/a> and Pakistan maintain strong ties to the United States, while India and Sri Lanka have deepened relations with Israel, especially in the defense and technology sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indian Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi calls himself best friends with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2026\/03\/lawsuit-challenges-trumps-attempt-to-end-birthright-citizenship\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a> and Israel\u2019s Benjamin Netanyahu. His government\u2019s diplomatic balancing act is further complicated by its oil-for-port deals with Iran with the Chabahar port, a crucial strategic link that bypasses&nbsp;Pakistan. India also holds a sizable&nbsp;Shia community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These overlapping alliances place Asian governments in a geopolitical bind, forcing them to navigate between competing global powers and regional allegiances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For their part, Asian churches seem to have taken on a vital moral role. Representing a minority of 30 to 35 million people \u2014 roughly 2 to 3 percent of Asia\u2019s population \u2014 Christian communities are acutely aware of the risks of being caught in crossfires&nbsp;and communal tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2022\/10\/fabc-asian-church-leaders-renew-ties-at-bishops-gathering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Churches across the continent<\/a>, including Catholic hierarchies under the Federation of Asian Bishops\u2019 Conferences (FABC), Protestant networks, and local dioceses, have raised clear calls for peace rooted in Christian theology and ethical teachings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stressing protection of innocent lives and preference for dialogue over armed conflict, churches urge restraint and de-escalation. At the back of their heads is awareness that escalation risks unleashing sectarian violence, anti-Western sentiments, and even anti-Christian pogroms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the Indian states, Kerala stands out as a critical locus of Christian response to the crisis. Home to 18-20% Christians of its 35 million population \u2014 predominantly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2024\/08\/religious-leaders-call-on-state-department-to-address-religious-persecution-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Syro-Malabar Catholics<\/a>, Syro-Malankara Catholics, and Latin rite Catholics \u2014 Kerala\u2019s churches are deeply intertwined with the issue, both spiritually and materially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bishops of Kerala call for prayers for peace in the Gulf region<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Kerala Catholic Bishops\u2019 Council, overseeing 32 dioceses and some 6-7 million faithful, has issued a carefully worded circular urging parishes to hold special Masses, rosary chains, and intercessory prayers specifically for the victims of the war and for peace in the Gulf region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Kerala Catholic Bishops\u2019 Council\u2019s guidance avoids naming the US or Israel as aggressors or echoing political rhetoric such as Kerala\u2019s Marxist Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan\u2019s labelling of \u201crogue nations.\u201d This measured approach aims to maintain interfaith harmony in a state where Christians coexist with large Hindu and Muslim communities, preserving Kerala\u2019s tradition of religious pluralism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kerala is also home to the single largest migrant community working in West Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Approximately 2.5 to 3 million people from&nbsp;Kerala&nbsp;work in the Gulf region, many of them Christians, mostly of&nbsp;Syro-Malabar Catholics. Others are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2020\/11\/christians-muslims-top-list-of-faiths-facing-hostility\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hindus and Muslims<\/a>, and some Sikhs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remittances from these workers constitute around 30% of Kerala\u2019s gross state domestic product, amounting to some US$20 billion annually. The Gulf\u2019s instability threatens not only their physical safety but also the economic lifeblood of their families and Kerala\u2019s broader economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kerala&nbsp;Churches have therefore demonstrated remarkable solidarity with Gulf migrants and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caritas Kerala, the humanitarian arm of the Catholic Church, is actively preparing evacuation plans modelled on the 1990 Gulf War airlifts, readying to assist thousands of migrants in peril.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Kerala Council of Churches, representing Protestant denominations with roughly 1 million members in the state, has echoed the call for peace. The Church of South India, with around 4 million members nationally, channels its humanitarian networks to provide aid and prayer support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond Kerala, the Catholic Bishops\u2019 Conference of India, which represents 132 dioceses and approximately 20 million Catholics nationwide, is yet to issue a statement, but it is part of the Asia-Pacific Catholic Coalition whose statement condemns <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2021\/07\/jesuit-imprisoned-on-terrorism-charges-dies-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">violence<\/a> and calls for peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Church in Asia in the face of war and migration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Federation of Asian Bishops\u2019 Conferences (FABC), the umbrella body uniting over 20 bishops\u2019 conferences from India to Indonesia, has maintained a cautious but clear stance during this crisis, emphasizing \u201cAsian integral ecology\u201d \u2014 a vision of peace intertwined with faith, justice, and dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2022\/08\/bishop-calls-for-help-for-pakistanis-left-homeless-hungry-by-floods\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pakistan<\/a>, where Christians number around 2.5 million but face high persecution risks, the national Catholic Bishops\u2019 Conference has also adopted a posture of cautious silence, emphasizing interfaith harmony and protection of migrants without direct political commentary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, in Muslim-majority Malaysia, Indonesia, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2026\/02\/pilgrims-flock-to-bangladesh-catholic-shrine-amid-threats-of-election-violence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bangladesh<\/a>, churches maintain a quiet but firm commitment to peace, working behind the scenes to foster inter-religious dialogue and humanitarian aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The war\u2019s humanitarian dimension is sharply felt in the millions of South Asian migrant workers in West Asia. India alone has an estimated 8 million migrants in the Gulf, with Kerala\u2019s large diaspora playing a critical economic and social role. Pakistan\u2019s 3 million Gulf workers and Bangladesh\u2019s significant expatriate population are equally vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2025\/09\/migrants-are-not-enemies-just-brothers-and-sisters-in-need-pope-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">migrants<\/a> serve as the backbone of many Gulf economies \u2014 building infrastructure, staffing hospitals, operating businesses, and contributing to the region\u2019s development. Remittances sent home by these workers are lifelines for their families and crucial economic pillars for their home countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">War threatens the livelihoods of millions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, India receives approximately $100 billion annually in remittances, with Kerala accounting for 20% of that total. Pakistan and Bangladesh also rely heavily on these funds to sustain millions living in poverty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The war threatens to disrupt this fragile ecosystem. The Gulf region also hosts countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, which house large expatriate communities, and are now conflict zones or under threat, complicating migrant safety and livelihood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kerala bishops, as Kerala Catholic Bishops\u2019 Council and <a href=\"https:\/\/caritasindia.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Caritas<\/a> Kerala, are coordinating with state and federal authorities, preparing welcome centers for returning migrants, and exploring large-scale evacuation operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Syro-Malabar Church, with approximately 200,000 of its people in the Middle East, plays a critical role in this network despite internal factional challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Protestant bodies, such as the Kerala Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches in India, also coordinate support and advocacy, framing their response in a Christian worldview of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maryknollmagazine.org\/2026\/01\/closing-holy-doors-pope-continues-to-call-for-peace-service-mercy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mercy and peace<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Featured image: Shi\u2019ite Muslims protest and chant anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans at Jantar Mantar, an observatory in New Delhi, India, after Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes Feb. 28, 2026. (OSV News\/Anushree Fadnavis, Reuters)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Countries in Asia must reckon with geopolitical tensions, humanitarian risks and their economic dependence on Gulf nations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":6414,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_eb_data_table":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1053],"tags":[2427,2428,2429,1315,1562,205,413,806,2430,2434,2433,2414,2436,2435,2432,2431],"class_list":["post-6413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-asia-pacific-catholic-coalition","tag-asian-church","tag-caritas-kerala","tag-christians","tag-donald-trump","tag-federation-of-asian-bishops-conferences","tag-india","tag-iran","tag-john-dayal","tag-kerala","tag-kerala-catholic-bishops-council","tag-middle-east","tag-muslim-population","tag-narendra-modi","tag-the-gulf-region","tag-us-israeli-airstrikes"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.5 - 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