US Strikes Three Tankers in Gulf of Oman, Killing Three Indian Sailors and Prompting Indian Protest

US forces struck three tankers in the Gulf of Oman over three days, killing at least three people and drawing an official protest from India. On Thursday morning a US aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the tanker Jalveer after its crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions, US Central Command said. " Satellite imagery shows smoke billowing from Jalveer.

All 20 Indian sailors aboard were safely evacuated with assistance from the Royal Navy of Oman. Jalveer's owner has not been sanctioned by the US for links to Iran. On Wednesday the US fired precision munitions into the engine room of the tanker Settebello, killing three Indian sailors, US Central Command said.

Twenty-one crew members were rescued after the strike. The US said Settebello violated the blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran and that its crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces. " The company added that "no contact whatsoever was made with the vessel" and called on the US to release evidence of its communications.

Settebello is owned by Aqua Aurora Shipping Lines, an Indian company, and is on the sanctions list of United Against Nuclear Iran. Its location tracker has been inactive since 31 May. Satellite imagery from 8 June shows the vessel about 80 miles from the port of Sohar in Oman.

On Monday a US F-18 Super Hornet fired a precision munition from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln into the engineering and steering spaces of the tanker Marivex, US Central Command said. The vessel last stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas in early April, loaded cargo, and sailed to Mangaluru and Karwar, India.

A Royal Air Force of Oman helicopter lifted crew from Marivex's deck after the strike. The US blockade of Iranian ports began on 13 April. Since then, Centcom has disabled nine vessels and redirected 135 more.