U.S. forces strike oil tanker in Gulf of Oman resulting in three deaths

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it disabled the Palau-flagged oil tanker M/T Settebello in the Gulf of Oman following the crew's refusal to comply with directives. The incident, which occurred at 11:14 p.m. E.T. on Wednesday, involved an American aircraft striking the vessel's engine room. The Indian Minister of Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal later confirmed the deaths of three Indian crew members who were initially missing after their bodies were identified. Out of the 24 Indian crew members, 21 were rescued. While CENTCOM stated the action was part of a naval blockade enforcement against Iranian oil, the Indian government summoned the U.S. charge d'affaires in New Delhi to express formal protest. Sources provide conflicting reports regarding the casualties, with some early initial accounts reporting one death and two missing, while the Indian government has confirmed all three missing crew members are deceased. This vessel is identified by the U.S. military as the eighth ship neutralized under the current blockade policy.