US Strikes Third Tanker in Three Days as India Condemns Killing of Three Sailors in Gulf of Oman

Three tankers have been struck by the US military over the past three days, killing at least three people. US forces fired a missile into the engine room of a tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, the third vessel to be targeted, with US Central Command saying the ship had violated a blockade of Iranian ports. Three Indian sailors were killed on Wednesday after a separate US strike, prompting India to summon a senior US diplomat and lodge a formal protest.

Quick Facts

  • Three tankers were struck by the US military over three consecutive days, killing at least three people
  • US forces fired a missile into the engine room of the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MT Jalveer on Thursday, the third vessel targeted
  • US Central Command said the ship had violated a blockade of Iranian ports and refused to comply with directions
  • Three Indian sailors were killed on Wednesday in a separate US strike on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello
  • India's foreign ministry summoned the deputy head of the US embassy in Delhi to lodge an official protest
  • A further 24 Indian crew were rescued on Monday from the Palau-flagged MT Marivex after a distress call reporting fire and sinking following a US strike

What Happened?

Over three consecutive days, US forces struck three separate tankers in the Gulf of Oman as part of an ongoing naval blockade of Iranian ports. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the most recent strike on Thursday targeted the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MT Jalveer, with a US aircraft firing a missile into the ship's engine room after the vessel allegedly violated the blockade and refused to comply with directions.

This followed a strike on Wednesday on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello, also hit in its engine room, which CENTCOM said had been transporting oil from Iran in violation of the blockade. The vessel transmitted a distress call stating that its engine room had been struck by a missile while operating off Sohar in the Gulf of Oman, with a fire onboard. Three Indian sailors were killed in this strike, while 21 crew members were rescued.

On Monday, the Palau-flagged MT Marivex was struck and disabled in a separate incident. A distress call from the vessel reported that it was on fire and sinking, and 24 Indian crew members were subsequently rescued off Oman's southern coast.

India's government condemned the attacks, with the foreign ministry stating that the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end. India's foreign ministry summoned the deputy head of the US embassy in Delhi, identified in other reporting as Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks, to lodge an official protest. EAM S. Jaishankar separately spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reiterating India's protest and describing the attacks as "not justified."

Key Facts

  • CENTCOM has said it has disabled multiple non-compliant vessels and redirected over a hundred ships that complied with the blockade since it began
  • MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the three tankers involved this week were foreign-flagged vessels, two Palau-flagged and one Guinea-Bissau-flagged, and not Indian-owned
  • Jaiswal said two of the vessels were under sanctions administered by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, while the third had been classified as non-compliant
  • India announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each of the three deceased Indian sailors
  • The US blockade of Iranian ports has been ongoing as part of the broader conflict between the US and Iran

Why It Matters

The strikes represent an escalation in US enforcement of its naval blockade against Iran, with three commercial vessels carrying foreign crews, including Indian nationals, hit within a single week. India's government has directly condemned the use of force against commercial shipping, stating that such targeting of civilian infrastructure must end. The repeated summoning of US diplomatic officials by India's foreign ministry signals a deepening diplomatic friction between New Delhi and Washington over the conduct of the blockade.

What It Means for India

Three Indian sailors were confirmed dead following the strike on the MT Settebello. India's government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each deceased sailor and stated that efforts are underway to repatriate their remains. A further 24 Indian crew members were rescued after the earlier strike on the MT Marivex. India's foreign ministry has formally protested the attacks to the US, and EAM Jaishankar raised the matter directly with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Latest Developments

The Thursday strike on the MT Jalveer marks the third tanker hit by US forces in three days, following strikes on the MT Settebello on Wednesday and the MT Marivex on Monday. India's foreign ministry has summoned the deputy head of the US embassy in Delhi for a second time over the incidents. The US State Department has said it remains in direct contact with the Indian government regarding the matter.

Key Takeaways

  • Three tankers were struck by US forces in the Gulf of Oman over three consecutive days, killing at least three people
  • Three Indian sailors died in the Wednesday strike on the MT Settebello
  • India's government condemned the strikes, calling for an end to the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure
  • India summoned a senior US diplomat and lodged a formal protest over the attacks
  • CENTCOM maintains the strikes were enforcement actions against vessels violating its blockade of Iranian ports

Sources Consulted

  • BBC News
  • The Week
  • Business Today
  • ANI
  • Republic World
  • Euronews
  • CBS News
  • Gulf News
  • Army Recognition

Author: Manjula Devi R

Publisher: Top India News