Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023,<\/span><\/a> the Internal Security Department has detained or issued Restriction Orders to six Singaporeans under the Internal Security Act, whose radicalisation was triggered or accelerated by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,\u201d said the minister.<\/p>\nHe said the conflict in the Middle East poses a risk to Singapore, with the high numbers of travellers entering the country.<\/p>\n
Mr Shanmugam noted that in 2025, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) cleared almost 245 million travellers.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201c186 million of these came through our land checkpoints \u2013 an average of half a million people per day.\u201d <\/p>\n
The minister said the Home Team has to try and counter this threat.<\/p>\n
\u201cICA has increased security checks at our checkpoints,\u201d he said. \u201cPolice have stepped up their roles in areas of concern.\u201d <\/p>\n
Addressing the officers, Mr Shanmugam said the world outside of Singapore cannot be ignored.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important that as senior leaders in the Home Team, you understand what is going on because it has implications on all of your work.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his speech, Mr Shanmugam noted that while some may have expected Iran to surrender within days due to the US and Israeli military might and the assassination of its political and religious leadership in air strikes, the Iranian regime remains intact.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz, which sees the transit of a quarter of the world\u2019s supply of seaborne oil and one-fifth of its gas, has continued to be put under a blockade by the Iranian authorities.<\/p>\n
Iran has also attacked close to 20 civilian vessels attempting to pass through the strait. It has also placed mines in the strait, reportedly demanding a US$2 million (S$2.6 million) toll for commercial ships to pass through the strait.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone looking at it would have known it\u2019s never going to be easy to force Iran to change its position on its nuclear programme, or to achieve regime change through aerial bombardment alone,\u201d said Mr Shanmugam. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe way the conflict has played out showed this, and Iran has now doubled down on securing its core interest of regime survival.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without a doubt, Singapore, which is a small and open economy, will face an economic impact, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe import nearly all our energy,\u201d added Mr Shanmugam. <\/p>\n
\u201cFuel and electricity costs will go up because everything depends on fuel and energy, and therefore pretty much everything will be affected… We do not know how long these disruptions will last.\u201d <\/p>\n