Iran (Washington Insider Magazine)— On Saturday, a US Department of Defense official reported the seventh Iranian attack on commercial shipping since 2021. An Iranian attack drone struck a chemical tanker working in the Indian Ocean
“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. Greenwich Mean Time) today in the Indian Ocean, 200 nautical miles from the coast of India, by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran,” the official expressed in a report.
A one-way attack drone is developed to affect its target rather than return to its source. “There were no casualties, and a fire on board the tanker has been extinguished,” the defense official declared.
“No US Navy vessels were in the vicinity,” the report said. Further, Naval Forces Central Command was communicating with the attacked vessel.
The drone strike appeared 200 nautical miles off the coast of India. India’s coast guard stated, that there were 20 Indian crew members, and one Vietnamese, on board at the time of the attack. However, it added that no deaths had been reported. It said it had sent a patrol vessel and a marine surveillance aircraft after confirming communication with the vessel.
The authorities conducted damage inspection and repairs on its power generation systems. MV Chem Pluto had started driving toward Mumbai while accompanied by the patrol vessel, the Coast Guard stated.
The ship departed from Saudi Arabia on December 19. It was anticipated to arrive in India’s southwestern port of Mangalore on December 25.
“The attack in the Indian Ocean comes as Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched more than 100 attacks against about a dozen commercial and merchant ships transiting the Red Sea over the past four weeks,” CNN previously informed. The Houthis say they are executing the attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
There was no quick declaration of responsibility for the strike. Iran’s deputy foreign minister on Saturday disregarded those U.S. accusations, arguing the group was operating on its own.
On Saturday, US Central Command noted more such incidents in a statement on social media.
A crude oil tanker was struck by “a one-way attack drone” on Saturday. Norwegian-flagged M/V Blaamanen, a chemical/oil tanker, informed that there was a near miss by a Houthi one-way attack drone. There were no damages, Central Command expressed. The command declared that a separate chemical tanker working in the southern Red Sea said a “near miss” on Saturday from a one-way drone. The second ship, Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged M/V Saibaba, which carried crude oil, notified a one-way attack drone shot it.
Two “anti-ship ballistic missiles” were also launched into the southern Red Sea from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. However, it did not strike any ships, the statement conveyed, and the USS Laboon, a Navy destroyer, intercepted four aerial drones heading toward it.
Meanwhile, there have been consistent attacks emanating from Yemen. Saturday’s strike in the Indian Ocean concerning a drone the US says fired from Iran may mark a new high in uncertainties.
The US defense department on Friday released newly declassified intelligence that indicates it has been “deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson informed CNN.
The newly declassified intelligence indicates that “Iranian support throughout the Gaza crisis has enabled the Houthis to launch attacks against Israel and maritime targets, though Iran has often deferred operational decision-making authority to the Houthis,” Watson stated.
This week, the US undertook Operation Prosperity Guardian, a maritime alliance to boost security in the southern Red Sea. More than 20 nations have agreed to the initiative, the Pentagon spoke on Thursday.
