Three Indian sailors killed in US military strike off Oman coast; New Delhi lodges strong protest

WEB DESK: Three Indian seafarers initially reported missing have been confirmed dead following a US military strike on a commercial oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, Indian authorities said on Thursday.

The fatalities mark a sharp escalation in regional tensions, representing the first reported civilian deaths since Washington initiated its naval blockade on Iran-linked shipping channels in mid-April.

Confirming the developments, Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated that the bodies of the three missing crew members had been located and formally identified.

The targeted vessel, a Palau-flagged oil products tanker named Settebello, was transiting international waters when it was intercepted.

According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, 21 other Indian mariners on board the vessel were successfully rescued during a joint coordination effort with Omani authorities.

Washington defends ‘precision strike’

Providing the American stance on the fatal encounter, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it deployed aircraft to carry out a “precision strike” directly targeting the vessel’s engine room.

US military officials maintained that the kinetic action was taken only after the tanker’s crew repeatedly failed to comply with lawful maritime directions from American naval forces.

Washington asserted that the Settebello was operating in open violation of the ongoing naval blockade, which was established on April 13 to choke off maritime revenue streams after regional shipping lanes were severely disrupted.

Since the enforcement operations began, US forces have reportedly disabled eight vessels and forced more than 100 others to turn back.

New Delhi reacts with diplomatic summons

The deaths have triggered a sharp diplomatic backlash from New Delhi, which has formally condemned the attack on civilian infrastructure.

Government sources revealed that the Indian government has formally summoned the US Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi to lodge a “strong protest” over the use of lethal military force against commercial sailors.

The unfolding maritime crisis comes at a highly sensitive time for bilateral relations between the two capitals. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel next week to the Group of Seven (G7) summit, where he is anticipated to hold crucial one-on-one bilateral discussions with US President Donald Trump.

Diplomatic observers note that the tragic deaths in the Gulf of Oman are now likely to overshadow the planned agenda.