US Strikes Kill Three Indian Sailors on Tanker in Gulf of Oman
A US military strike in the Gulf of Oman has resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors. India’s Shipping Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, confirmed the fatalities and stated that the bodies of the deceased would be repatriated soon. The Palau-flagged MT Settebello was struck after the US military accused it of failing to comply with directions from American forces.
US Blockade and Ship Interdictions
The US Central Command reported that an aircraft fired "precision munitions" into the tanker's engine room following repeated failures by the crew to adhere to instructions. The US military maintains a blockade on access to Iranian ports, implemented after Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and gas supplies, during the ongoing conflict. Since initiating this blockade on 13 April, US forces have disabled eight vessels and redirected 134 others.
This incident marks the second time this week that a vessel with an Indian crew has been targeted by US forces in the Gulf of Oman. Earlier, the Palau-flagged oil tanker The Marivex was also hit by US forces after it allegedly failed to comply with US instructions. All 24 crew members from The Marivex were rescued by the Omani military.
India Objects, US-Iran Tensions Escalate
The Indian government has summoned the US Deputy Head of Mission in Delhi in response to the strike. India has consistently stated that "targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end." Manoj Yadav, general secretary of the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI), questioned the US military's claims, suggesting that detaining non-compliant ships would be a viable alternative to strikes.
Tensions between Iran and the US continue to escalate, with both nations exchanging strikes for a second consecutive day, further straining a fragile ceasefire agreed in April. The conflict began on 28 February, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed the country's Supreme Leader. Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, with the conflict expanding to include Lebanon in March.
