US Forces Strike Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman
The United States announced that a Palau‑flagged tanker, the Settebello, was disabled by a U.S. aircraft after the crew repeatedly ignored orders from American forces. According to Central Command, precision munitions were fired into the vessel’s engine room to halt its alleged transport of oil from Iran.
Three Indian sailors aboard the ship were reported missing, while 21 other Indian crew members were rescued by local authorities. The Indian government has condemned the attack on commercial shipping and cautioned that such targeting must cease.
The incident comes after US forces have disabled eight vessels and redirected 134 others since the blockades were launched on 13 April, aimed at curbing Iranian maritime activity following heightened tensions with the United States.
India has summoned the deputy head of the U.S. mission in Delhi to discuss the incident, reflecting the growing diplomatic strain between the two nations. Other recent confrontations include a missile strike on the Marivex tanker earlier this week, which also carried an Indian crew and was similarly fired upon by U.S. forces.
This latest event heightens concerns about the stability of shipping lanes in the Gulf, where about 20% of global oil supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and the United States continue to be in conflict, with the U.S. hostilities sparked by the airstrike that killed Iran’s supreme leader on 28 February and the subsequent Iranian retaliation.
