KARACHI, Pakistan

A Pakistani fisherman was killed after debris from an Israeli projectile intercepted by Iranian air defense systems struck his boat in Iranian waters, a Pakistani official said Sunday.

The incident occurred on Saturday, said Shahid Rind, a spokesman for southwestern Balochistan province.

The victim was identified as Muhammad Tayyab, a resident of Ganz, a small coastal town in the Gwadar district.

District Police Officer Attaur Rehman told local daily Dawn that Tayyab “went into Iranian waters for Iranian oil,” which is sometimes smuggled into Pakistan and sold at cheaper rates.

The death brings the number of Pakistani nationals killed abroad in the ongoing regional conflict to three. Two other Pakistanis were reported killed earlier in the United Arab Emirates.

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the United States and Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, including Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls, and senior military officials.

Iran has retaliated with sweeping barrages of its own that have targeted US bases, diplomatic facilities, and military personnel across the region, as well as multiple Israeli cities. The attacks have continued to escalate.

The conflict has also raised concerns about global energy supplies amid a sharp drop in maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that carries about 20 million barrels of oil daily.