Why are the UK and Argentina facing off again over the Falkland Islands?

The long-standing dispute between the UK and Argentina over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean has been reignited. Argentine President Javier Miele recently announced that international companies that drill for oil around the islands without Argentine permission will face strict legal action and fines. 

Argentina has been angered again by the UK's preparations to extract oil from a mine called 'Sea Lion' in the Falklands.

They claim the islands, just 500 kilometers from Argentina, as their own and call them 'Islas Malvinas'. But they have been under British control since 1833. In 1982, Argentina lost a bloody 74-day war with Britain to seize the islands. 

Nearly 900 soldiers lost their lives in that battle. Later, in a referendum in 2013, almost 100% of the residents here voted to remain with the United Kingdom. However, Argentina has been claiming that vote was illegal.

Despite the UN urging the two sides to resolve the issue through negotiations, an agreement has remained elusive. The island's vast mineral and oil reserves have now brought the dispute to the forefront. 

China has already supported Argentina's claim, while the United States has also signaled a review of its strategic position, creating a new international equation surrounding the Falklands.

Source: Reuters.