Guided missile destroyers to ‘preserve deterrent presence’ after Israel-linked vessel hit off Indian coast.
The Indian Navy has dispatched guided missile destroyers to the Arabian Sea after an assault on an Israel-linked chemical tanker off its coast, the Ministry of Defence stated.
Three stealth-guided destroyers have been deployed “in numerous areas of the ocean” to “preserve a deterrent presence” contemplating the “current spate of assaults within the Arabian Sea”, the ministry stated in a press release late on Monday. It was additionally utilizing long-range maritime patrol plane for “area consciousness”, it stated.
The US claimed that the December 23 strike on MV Chem Pluto within the Indian Ocean was “fired from Iran”, an accusation that Tehran has dismissed as baseless.
The assault got here as a US-led process power sought to counter comparable threats to maritime transport within the Purple Sea posed by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.
The Indian Navy stated it was investigating the character of the assault on MV Chem Puto, which “anchored safely” within the monetary capital, Mumbai, on Monday.
An preliminary evaluation “pointed to a drone assault”, the ministry stated. However “additional forensic and technical evaluation shall be required to ascertain the vector of assault, together with sort and quantity of explosive used”.
The vessel had been “cleared for additional operation” by its firm, in keeping with the ministry.
Transport below menace
MV Chem Pluto, a Japanese-owned tanker carrying 21 Indians and one Vietnamese citizen, was hit on Saturday whereas travelling 200 nautical miles (370km) off the coast of India, in keeping with the Pentagon. The assault sparked a fireplace, which was put out, however brought on no casualties.
The Houthis have pledged to focus on any Israel-linked vessel within the Purple Sea, by way of which some 12 p.c of all world commerce passes, in solidarity with Gaza which has been bombarded by land, sea and air by the Israeli army.
Since October, the Houthis have waged assaults on greater than a dozen vessels, pushing a few of the world’s largest companies to desert the route. The assault within the Indian Ocean, distant from the Purple Sea, has raised considerations about even broader dangers to maritime transport amid the Israeli-Palestinian battle.
Amid the uptick in maritime strikes, this was the primary that the US has sought to immediately pin on Iran. It was additionally the primary on a vessel outdoors the Purple Sea.
Washington has accused Tehran of being “deeply concerned” within the Houthi operations.
However Iran insists that it isn’t coordinating with the Houthis and performs no function within the assaults.
“The resistance [Houthis] has its personal instruments … and acts in accordance with its personal selections and capabilities,” Iran’s Deputy Overseas Minister Ali Bagheri instructed the Mehr information company on Saturday.