According to Reuters, an Indian oil tanker sustained heavy damage after being targeted by the US Air Force in the Gulf of Oman.
It stated that the tanker was allegedly attempting to transport Iranian oil in violation of a US blockade. The military stated that repeated warnings and instructions were issued to the vessel’s crew, but the tanker failed to comply.
As a result, US forces carried out an airstrike targeting the ship’s engine room, causing significant damage to the vessel. Further details regarding casualties, environmental impact, or the tanker’s current status were not immediately available.
The incident is likely to heighten tensions in the strategically important Gulf of Oman, a key shipping route for global energy supplies. Reuters reported that US authorities defended the action as an enforcement measure against sanctions-related violations.
According to Reuters, US forces disabled an Indian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman during an airstrike. The US military said the vessel was allegedly transporting Iranian oil in violation of a US blockade.
US aircraft targeted the ship’s engine room after the crew reportedly failed to comply with repeated instructions from US forces.
The incident marks a significant escalation in tensions surrounding the enforcement of US sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Reuters also reported that India summoned the US Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi following the attack on the oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman. India formally lodged a strong protest against the US strike on the vessel.
Three Indian nationals are missing after the tanker caught fire following the attack in the Gulf of Oman. Of the ship’s 28 crew members, 24 were Indian citizens.
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