Within the span of just a few days, the United States has struck a vessel linked to India for the third time. On this occasion, a merchant ship carrying an Indian crew was targeted close to a port in Oman. According to FSUI, another India-connected ship, MT Jalveer, came under attack off the Omani coast on Thursday. Reports indicate that more than 20 sailors were on board the vessel.
The Indian embassy in Oman also confirmed that it was aware of the incident and is working alongside local authorities. In a statement, the embassy said, "We have learnt today about an incident involving a ship near the Shinas port in Oman. We are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with local authorities to gather further information."
When Did the US Strike Indian Ships?
- Several reports have identified this vessel as MT Jalveer. However, officials have so far not released any official details about the nature of the incident, the extent of the damage, or any casualties. This is the third ship-related incident near Oman in the past three days.
- The first incident took place on June 8 involving MT Marivex, when, according to maritime security sources, the tanker caught fire following a suspected attack. All 24 Indian crew members aboard the ship were reported safe.
- The second incident occurred on June 10, when the tanker MT Setebello was targeted in the Gulf of Oman. This vessel also had 24 Indian crew members on board. According to Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, 21 people were rescued, but the deaths of three Indian sailors who were initially reported missing were later confirmed.
India Lodges Strong Protest — What Did the US Say?
New Delhi responded to the attack on the Setebello with a firm diplomatic stance. India summoned the most senior US diplomat present in the country and registered a strong protest over the strike. The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack and voiced deep concern over the safety of the Indian nationals aboard the vessel.
The US later claimed that its forces had carried out a "precise" strike on the tanker, asserting that it had allegedly failed to comply with instructions issued by the American military. US Central Command stated that the action was part of its ongoing maritime operations aimed at targeting Iranian oil shipments.
