Three Indian Citizens Killed in US Military Attack in Gulf of Oman
Three Indian citizens have died in a US military attack in the Gulf of Oman. The Indian government has strongly condemned the incident and summoned the acting head of the US Embassy in New Delhi to lodge a protest. The US military stated that the attack targeted a ship transporting oil from Iran, which they claimed violated a blockade. Kathmandu, 28 Jesth.
Three Indian nationals lost their lives in a US military strike on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman. Initially reported missing, the bodies of the three Indian citizens have now been recovered, according to Sarbanand Sonowal, India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, who provided this update on Thursday. Sonowal tweeted, “This is an irreparable loss for us. The Modi government stands firmly with the bereaved families in this difficult time. The government is committed to providing all necessary assistance to the families of the deceased. I have instructed the relevant officials to ensure the rescued crew members are immediately repatriated and that the bodies of the deceased sailors are swiftly brought to India for last rites.”
Following the incident, India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in New Delhi to express strong objection to the attack. With the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gore, out of the country on a visit to Kazakhstan, the acting head of the embassy, Jason Mix, was called in. It has been reported that the Indian nationals caught in the US strike were safely rescued by Omani forces. The US Central Command stated that the Setebello tanker, flying the Palau flag, was attacked because it was continuing to transport oil from Iran despite breaching the imposed blockade. The command’s statement reads, “After repeated warnings were ignored by the crew, a US aircraft targeted the ship’s engine with precision weapons.”
This incident raises serious questions over the ongoing conflict and maritime trade security in the Gulf region. The United States imposed a blockade on Iranian ports starting April 13, in response to Tehran tightening control over shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The attack has intensified concerns about increasing military tensions in the Gulf, safety of maritime trade routes, and the security of Indian sailors caught in foreign conflicts. Meanwhile, there are no signs of de-escalation in tensions between Iran and the United States. US attacks on Iran have resumed after a military strike by the US and Israel on February 28 killed Iran’s supreme leader. In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and US regional allies in the Gulf. The conflict rapidly expanded to Lebanon by March. Although the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire in April, continuous accusations, new attacks, and growing mistrust have weakened the truce and increased the risk of renewed large-scale military confrontation.