Jakarta –
Tanker chemical carrier was hit by a drone launched from Iran in the Indian Ocean. The United States (US) military said the ship, named Chem Pluto, was hit 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the Indian coast.
Reported BBC, Sunday (24/12/2023), the incident occurred on Saturday (23/12) at 10.00 local time. The fire on the ship has been extinguished and there were no casualties.
The Pentagon said that Chem Pluto was hit by a ‘one-way strike drone fired from Iran’. The ship is a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker, owned by Japan, and operated by the Netherlands.
Maritime security firm Ambrey said the ship was linked to Israel, and was sailing from Saudi Arabia to India. The incident occurred 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval City in the Indian state of Gujarat.
The drone attack caused structural damage to the tanker and water was carried into it. Ambrey said the incident, which was the first to occur at a location far from the Red Sea, occurred in what the company considers a “high threat area” for Iranian drones. The Indian Navy has sent planes and warships to offer assistance.
The US also accused Iran of being ‘heavily involved’ in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. National security spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said it was ‘consistent with Iran’s long-term material support and encouragement of the Houthi’s destabilizing actions in the region’.
Iran has not commented. However, there has recently been a series of drone and rocket attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
On the same day, US Central Command (CENTCOM) also reported that two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea from Houthi-controlled Yemeni territory. No ships were reported to have been affected by the attack.
The USS Laboon warship patrolling the area is also said to have shot down four aerial drones originating from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen that were heading towards the US ship.
Also on the same day, a crude oil tanker was reportedly hit by a Houthi drone in the southern Red Sea. The rebels, who control most of Yemen, claim to target ships linked to Israel during the ongoing war in Gaza, Palestine.
Many major shipping groups have suspended operations in the Red Sea due to the increased risk of attack.
Who are the Houthi rebels who attacked Red Sea ships?
An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander warned that his party would force the closure of waterways other than the Red Sea if ‘America and its allies continue to commit crimes’ in Gaza. Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi said this area could include the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar, but he did not provide details on how this would happen.
(haf/imk)
2023-12-24 02:38:10
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