A U.S. military strike on an oil tanker carrying Indian crew members near the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a diplomatic confrontation between Washington and New Delhi, after a fire broke out onboard and three Indian sailors were reported missing. The Palau-flagged tanker Settebello was operating in the Gulf of Oman, roughly 20 nautical miles northeast of Sohar, when it was hit. U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, released video footage showing the vessel after the strike and said precision munitions were fired into the ship’s engine room.
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According to CENTCOM, the tanker had violated an ongoing blockade targeting shipments linked to Iranian oil and repeatedly ignored instructions from American forces. In a statement, the command said, “At 11:14 pm on June 9, US forces disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman”. It added that the vessel was struck after failing to comply with directions issued by U.S. personnel.
The tanker carried 28 crew members, including 24 Indians. Indian officials said 21 Indian sailors had been rescued while three remained missing following the attack. Search efforts continued off the Omani coast as authorities worked to determine the fate of the missing crew members.
India reacted sharply. The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the strike and issued a diplomatic protest to the United States. “We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman”, the ministry said, adding that commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure should not be targeted.
The incident unfolded in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive waterways. Roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to international markets. Any disruption there is closely watched by energy traders, shipping companies and governments.
The International Maritime Organization also condemned the attack. Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said, “Any act that endangers seafarers and the safety of international shipping is simply unacceptable”. The organization warned that attacks on commercial vessels threaten civilian crews and global maritime commerce.
CENTCOM said it has disabled eight vessels it considers non-compliant since the blockade began on April 13 and redirected 134 ships. Independent evidence supporting U.S. claims that Settebello was transporting Iranian oil has not yet been publicly released.
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