An Iranian drone attacked a chemical tanker and threatened to close the Mediterranean Sea if the US offence in Gaza continues.
The Iranian government and allied fighting forces in Yemen have publicly criticised the Israeli government’s military operation in Gaza, which has left thousands of Palestinian civilians dead in the ongoing conflict.
The incident highlights heightened tension in the region and new risks to shipping lanes following the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October.
“The motor vessel CHEM PLUTO, a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker was struck at approximately 10 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT) today in the Indian Ocean, 200 nautical miles from the coast of India, by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran,” a Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters.
The Pentagon statement said this was the “seventh Iranian attack on commercial shipping since 2021,” but there were no injuries in the latest attack and a brief fire on board the tanker was extinguished.
US Central Command said four drones were shot down on Saturday as they were heading towards a US destroyer in the southern Red Sea, launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Iranian media reported that the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that the Mediterranean Sea could be closed if the US and its allies continue to commit “crimes” in Gaza.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the following in a statement during a visit to Bahrain early Tuesday:
This is an international challenge that demands collective action. Therefore today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative.
The attacks on one of the world’s busiest trade routes have forced major container carriers to divert ships from the region, driving up oil prices and insurance rates. Many ships passing through the strait switch off their radios to avoid online surveillance.
