Overview
- Three Indian seafarers were confirmed dead after a US aircraft struck the Palau‑flagged tanker MT Settebello, with authorities recovering and identifying the bodies following the attack on Wednesday.
- The strike on Settebello followed earlier US actions that disabled the Palau‑flagged MT Marivex on Monday and, hours after New Delhi summoned the US chargé d’affaires, disabled the Guinea‑Bissau‑flagged MT Jalveer on Thursday with all crew evacuated safely.
- US Central Command said the vessels were targeted because they failed to comply with directions and were attempting to transport oil from Iran under a US enforcement posture described as a naval blockade.
- India summoned the US chargé d’affaires, lodged a formal demarche, arranged repatriation and welfare support for survivors, and demanded that attacks on commercial shipping stop to protect thousands of Indian seafarers working in the Gulf.
- The incidents highlight how flags of convenience and alleged ship‑to‑ship transfers complicate sanctions enforcement and crew safety and create broader risks to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and regional diplomatic ties.