Tensions are rising in the Gulf of Oman after a third ship carrying Indian crew members came under attack this week, prompting strong protests from India and fresh concern over maritime safety, according to NDTV.
The latest incident involved the oil tanker MT Jalveer, where a fire broke out after the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it had fired two Hellfire missiles into the vessel’s engine room. The ship, sailing under a Guinea-Bissau flag, was reportedly attempting to transport Iranian oil and had failed to comply with repeated warnings from US forces.
In a statement, CENTCOM said the strike was part of its ongoing enforcement actions in the region. Since launching its blockade on April 13, it claims to have disabled nine non-compliant vessels, redirected 135 ships, and allowed 42 carrying humanitarian aid to pass.
Iranian media reported that five of the 20 crew members aboard MT Jalveer were rescued by passing vessels and taken to Oman. The condition of the remaining crew members remains unclear.
India has reacted sharply to the series of incidents, calling them “deeply worrisome.” The Ministry of External Affairs stressed the importance of protecting Indian seafarers and demanded an immediate halt to such attacks.
Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India had already lodged a strong protest with the United States after a previous attack off Oman resulted in the deaths of three Indian nationals.
The MT Jalveer incident follows two earlier attacks in the same region. A Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, was fired upon earlier this week, leaving three Indian crew members missing. Days before that, a fire broke out aboard MT Marivex, which carried 24 Indian seafarers, after it too was attacked.
As the incidents mount, concerns are growing over the safety of civilian shipping and the risk of wider conflict in one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.
