NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday said three Indian sailors are missing, while 21 crew members have been rescued following an attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman.
The Indian government condemned the incident, stating that the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must come to an end.
It said the “targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end”.
CENTCOM said on Wednesday it disabled the Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello as it transited the Gulf of Oman, adding that it had “violated the ongoing blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran”.
In a post on X, US Central Command said an aircraft fired “precision munitions” into the engine room of the Palau-flagged Settebello “after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces”.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 10, 2026
The United States military has restricted access to Iranian ports after Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route through which nearly 20% of global oil and gas supplies pass amid the ongoing conflict.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces have disabled eight vessels and redirected 134 others since the blockade began on 13 April.
Following the latest incident, India summoned the deputy head of the US mission in New Delhi, officials told the BBC.
“I strongly condemn any act from any party that endangers the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping. This is simply unacceptable,” Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the UN’s shipping agency, the International Maritime Organisation, said on Wednesday after the incident.
Earlier this week, US forces reportedly struck another Palau-flagged oil tanker carrying an Indian crew. The vessel, identified as Marivex, was also targeted in the Gulf of Oman after it allegedly failed to comply with US instructions, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
All 24 crew members were later rescued by the Omani military, Indian authorities confirmed.
Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and the United States continue to escalate with no signs of de-escalation. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump warned that Iran could face a strong military response, saying it would be hit “hard” if the situation worsened.
The conflict began on 28 February after joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran reportedly killed the country’s supreme leader. Iran responded with attacks on Israel and the Gulf region, triggering a rapid escalation that spread across parts of the Middle East, with Lebanon also becoming involved in March.
In April, the United States and Iran reached a temporary ceasefire agreement, initially intended to last two weeks, although tensions have since persisted.
