India has strongly protested a US military strike on the commercial vessel Settebello off the Oman coast, which left three of the 24 Indian crew members missing. The US Central Command stated it disabled the Palau-flagged vessel for violating a blockade of Iranian ports.
In a sharp escalation of regional tensions, US President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Tehran on Monday, asserting that the American military is prepared to sink any Iranian vessels that approach the newly established naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tensions escalate as Iranian forces attack a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump announced the ceasefire extension.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations issued a warning noting that the incident took place approximately 15 nautical miles north of Sharjah.
Iran has reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, with its forces opening fire on a passing tanker and forcing at least two Indian vessels to reverse course, escalating tensions in the region and raising concerns over energy supplies.
On Saturday, it was reported that a drone strike had targeted the Fujairah Port in the UAE, triggering a fire.
A Thai cargo vessel was struck by missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, leaving three crew members missing and prompting a rescue operation by the Royal Navy of Oman.
A merchant vessel, with around 20 Indian crew, was hit by a suspected drone about 217 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast in the Arabian Sea on Saturday but there was no report of any casualties in the incident, Indian military sources and a maritime security agency said.
According to officials, the Indian Navy has opened an investigation into whether the drone used to attack the vessel was launched from long range or from a nearby vessel.
Indian Navy's mission deployed platforms responded swiftly to a maritime incident in the Arabian Sea involving the hijacking on board a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier, a Navy spokesperson said.
The Indian Navy has swiftly responded to a call for help following a hijacking incident involving a Malta-flagged cargo vessel with 18 crew on board in the Arabian Sea, officials said on Saturday.
Indian Navy's elite marine commandos on Friday rescued 21 crew members including 15 Indians from a bulk carrier in the North Arabian Sea and sanitised it in a swift operation while responding to an attempted hijacking of the Liberian-flagged vessel by around five-six armed personnel.
The Indian Navy continues to monitor the situation very closely with all stakeholders and remains committed to ensuring the safety of merchant shipping in the region, it said in a statement.
The US has warned of a possible Al-Qaeda attack by sea off the coast of Yemen and has alerted ships, including those from India, and maritime vehicles plying in the region.
When questioned about the absence of any mention of the Indian Navy's role in the operation, Hua said China's ministry of defence should be approached for details.
