Key facts
- India has summoned a top US diplomat to protest a suspected US strike on a tanker off Oman.
- Three Indian seafarers are unaccounted for following the incident.
- The US military stated it disabled the Palau-flagged M/T Settebello for attempting to transport oil from Iran.
- The US claimed the vessel was targeted after repeatedly failing to comply with directions.
- 22 nations issued a joint statement condemning Iran's alleged plotting against individuals abroad.
India has summoned a top US diplomat to protest a suspected US strike on a tanker off the coast of Oman that has left three Indian seafarers unaccounted for. The US military stated it disabled the Palau-flagged vessel, the M/T Settebello, as it was attempting to transport oil from Iran.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces fired precision munitions into the ship's engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions. CENTCOM added that US forces have disabled eight vessels and redirected 134 others since the Trump administration's blockade of Iranian ports began in mid-April.
In a separate development, 22 nations, including the US and Britain, issued a joint statement condemning Iran's alleged plotting to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe, North America, and Australia. They specifically named Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Intelligence Organization, Quds Force, and Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
US President Donald Trump has continued to threaten Iran, stating "we're going to be attacking them very hard" and claiming the US has been seizing "millions of barrels of oil" from Iran nightly. He urged Iranian leaders to sign a deal that prohibits nuclear weapons.
Iranian officials, however, accused the US of striking civilian infrastructure, including two water reservoirs and a desalination plant, amid a severe water shortage in the country. Saudi Arabia also condemned recent Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, warning they threaten regional security.
The UN chief warned that the Middle East crisis has far-reaching global consequences and urged all parties to work towards a diplomatic settlement and a comprehensive ceasefire, particularly in the context of the conflict in Lebanon.