Three Indian sailors missing after US says it hit tanker in Gulf of Oman

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Three Indian sailors missing after US says it hit tanker in Gulf of Oman40 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleHenri AstierCentcomCentcom posted what it said was footage of the strike on the ship's engine room The US military has disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that it accused of violating an American blockade by "attempting to transport oil from Iran". In a post on X, US Central Command said an aircraft fired "precision munitions" into the engine room of the Palau-flagged Settebello "after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces". India's government said three Indian sailors were missing and 21 Indian crew members had been rescued after the attack on the Settebello off the coast of Oman.

It said the "targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end". The US military blocked access to Iran's ports after Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies are transported, during the ongoing conflict. US forces have disabled eight vessels and redirected 134 others since initiating the blockade on 13 April, according to Centcom.

The Details

Following the latest incident, the Indian government summoned the deputy head of the US mission in Delhi, officials told the . Earlier this week, US forces hit another Palau-flagged oil tanker with an Indian crew. The Marivex was also fired on in the Gulf of Oman after it failed to comply with US instructions, Centcom said.

All 24 crew were rescued by the Omani military, Indian authorities said. Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and the US show no sign of easing. On Wednesday President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran "hard".

Trump said Tehran was taking too long to sign a peace deal and was playing Americans "for suckers". The comments follow a series of strikes by both sides, after the downing of an American helicopter on Monday. Iran accused the US of violating a ceasefire.

What Experts Say

The war began on 28 February, after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran that killed the country's supreme leader. Iran responded by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf. The fighting escalated quickly across the region, with Lebanon drawn into the conflict in March.

In April, the US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire that was initially meant to last for a period of two weeks.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.