The U.S. military carried out a precision strike on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday, disabling the vessel after it refused to comply with orders amid the ongoing naval blockade, the U.S. Central Command confirmed Wednesday. The action, however, has triggered a sharp diplomatic rebuke from India, which reported that three of its nationals among the crew are now missing.
According to Centcom, a U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions into the engine room of the Palau-flagged M/T Settebello, a 182.5-meter tanker attempting to transport oil from Iran. The crew had repeatedly ignored directions from American forces, prompting the strike. This is the second such incident this week, following the disabling of another Palau-flagged tanker, M/T Marivex, on Monday for similar violations.
The Settebello was carrying 24 Indian crew members, and while 21 have been rescued, the fate of the remaining three remains uncertain. India’s foreign ministry condemned the attack, calling it “deeply worrisome” and linking it to the broader U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. “The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are a direct result of the ongoing conflict,” the ministry said in a statement, urging an immediate de-escalation and a diplomatic resolution.
India’s embassy in Oman is coordinating with local authorities in the search-and-rescue operation, the ministry added, emphasizing that “the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure must end.” New Delhi also summoned the U.S. deputy chief of mission to protest the strike, according to Reuters, citing Indian sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
The U.S. naval blockade, imposed in April, has seen American forces redirect 134 ships that complied, disable eight non-compliant vessels, and allow 42 humanitarian aid ships to pass, Centcom reported. The blockade is part of a broader campaign to pressure Iran, but it has increasingly drawn criticism from allies wary of escalating regional tensions.
This latest incident underscores the growing friction between Washington and New Delhi over the conflict in the Middle East. India, a key U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific, has repeatedly called for restraint and a return to negotiations, even as the U.S. military intensifies its operations in the Gulf of Oman.
The strike on the Settebello also raises questions about the rules of engagement in the blockade, as civilian vessels and their crews become collateral in a geopolitical confrontation. The U.S. has defended its actions as necessary to enforce sanctions, but critics argue that such tactics risk alienating allies and destabilizing the region further.
