Trump Calls Iranian Drone Attack On Indian Ships Leaving Strait Of Hormuz ‘Totally Unacceptable’

US-IRAN WAR: On Friday, US President Donald Trump claimed that Iranian drones targeted Indian ships as they were leaving the Strait of Hormuz. He described the attack as “totally unacceptable” in a blunt post on his Truth Social account. Trump wrote: “Also, their totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.” His comments come after a string of attacks this week on commercial vessels with Indian crew members near Oman’s coast. One of those attacks killed three Indian seafarers. Earlier the same day, India formally protested to US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks about these attacks on ships carrying Indian sailors in the Gulf of Oman.

Three Indians killed 

Three sailors from India, who were initially feared to be missing, died after their ship was attacked by the US military off the coast of Oman, according to Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Describing it as a “sad affair”, the minister stated that the bodies of all three missing sailors have been retrieved.

The Palau-flagged oil tanker, named Settebello, had a total number of 28 crew members on board, among whom 24 were from India and four belonged to other countries, namely, two from Pakistan, one from Ukraine, and another one from Russia when it was targeted by the US military attack in the Gulf of Oman. According to the US military forces, the attack was launched following the fact that the ship did not follow its orders and had been transporting oil from Iran. 

It is to be noted that initially, it was reported that although 21 sailors from India were saved, three others were feared missing.

India Condemns Attack

The ship’s management company has been facing problems to create a steady network connection between the remaining seafarers on board the ship. The casualties happened when US Central Command forces struck the oil tanker off the coast of Oman for allegedly violating an on-going blockade of Iranian oil.

India has also denounced the attack, stating that 24 Indians were attacked by the US Navy while it was attempting to pass through Hormuz.

India summons US diplomat for the second time

India has called in its Charg d’Affaires, Jason Meeks for the second time in four days after another merchant ship with 20 Indian crew members was attacked off the coast of Oman, it said on Friday.

The American diplomat was called in by the Additional Secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as New Delhi stepped up its diplomatic response to the escalating threat to commercial shipping in the Gulf region. The new summons was issued within hours of the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) issuing a new maritime security advisory to almost 18,000 Indian ships engaged in trade activity in or near the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and adjoining waters in the wake of attacks on merchant vessels.

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