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The US military said it fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship’s engine room for violating the naval blockade by attempting to transport Iranian oil.
The US Central Command released a video of a missile strike at MT Jalveer carrying 20 Indians.
The United States has acknowledged carrying out strikes on MT Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel carrying 20 Indian seafarers, saying it violated the US naval blockade by attempting to transport Iranian oil.
This was the third vessel attacked by US forces this week, after the Palau-flagged oil tankers MV Settebello and MT Marivex were also attacked by American forces operating in the region amid heightened tensions with Iran.
“US forces disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman at 11:20 pm ET on June 10 after the vessel violated the blockade against Iran by attempting to transport Iranian oil, marking the third commercial ship disabled by American forces this week,” the US Central Command said in a post on X.
“A US aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from US forces,” it added, while releasing a footage of the missile attack on the vessel.
India’s Strong Message To US
The US acknowledgement came after India strongly condemned a series of attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers in the Gulf region, describing the incidents as “deeply worrisome” and calling for an immediate end to violence affecting international shipping.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday expressed concern over multiple attacks on vessels in West Asia over the past few days, including one that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors.
India’s Strong Message To US
The US acknowledgement came after India strongly condemned a series of attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers in the Gulf region, describing the incidents as “deeply worrisome” and calling for an immediate end to violence affecting international shipping.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday expressed concern over multiple attacks on vessels in West Asia over the past few days, including one that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors.
“When this particular attack on the ship MT Settebello occurred, we lodged a strong protest with the American side. We summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires and conveyed our deepest concern over the ongoing incidents of attacks. We also registered our strong protest with them. We emphasised that the welfare of our seafaring community is of utmost importance and that these attacks must stop,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a press conference.
“We further conveyed that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward for the peaceful resolution of the conflict, and that there should be unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law,” he added.
The Palau-flagged tanker Settebello was struck by a missile while operating off Sohar in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday. A day before, the US military confirmed an attack on MT Marivex in the Gulf of Oman carrying 24 Indian crew members aboard, who were safely evacuated.
The developments have raised concerns about the safety of Indian sailors operating in one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes amid escalating regional tensions.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int…Read More
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