WASHINGTON: A Japanese-owned chemical tanker struck on Saturday (Dec 23) off the coast of India was focused by a drone “fired from Iran”, the Pentagon mentioned, an indication of increasing dangers to industrial delivery past the Purple Sea.
The assault got here amid a flurry of drone and missile strikes by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on an important Purple Sea delivery lane because the begin of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct 7, with the group claiming to behave in solidarity with Gaza.
Saturday’s assault occurred at round 10am native time (6am GMT) and prompted no casualties aboard the vessel, it mentioned, including {that a} hearth was extinguished.
America army “stays in communication with the vessel because it continues towards a vacation spot in India”, it added.
The drone strike occurred 200 nautical miles (370km) off the coast of India, it mentioned, including that no US Navy vessels have been within the neighborhood.
It was the primary time the Pentagon has overtly accused Iran of instantly focusing on ships because the begin of Israel’s conflict on the militant group Hamas, which is backed by Iran.
The Pentagon assertion mentioned the Liberia-flagged MV Chem Pluto was operated by a Dutch entity, though the ship is owned by a Japanese firm.
Ambrey, a maritime safety agency, mentioned the “chemical/merchandise tanker … was Israel-affiliated” and had been on its means from Saudi Arabia to India.
The Wall Road Journal reported that the Dutch firm working the MV Chem Pluto “is related to Israeli delivery tycoon Idan Ofer”.
The Indian Navy mentioned it had responded to a request for help.
“An plane was dispatched and it reached overhead the vessel and established security of the concerned ship and its crew,” a navy official instructed AFP.
“An Indian Navy warship has additionally been dispatched in order to supply help as required.”
There was no rapid declare of duty for the strike.