In a dramatic breakthrough, the Pentagon has officially accused Iran of coordinating a drone strike off the coast of India on a Japan-owned chemical tanker. The strike on the MV Chem Pluto, which took place at 10am local time on December 24, is the first time the Pentagon has publicly implicated Iran in targeting ships since the start of Israel's war on the Hamas militant group, which is backed by Iran.
The event occurred 200 nautical miles off the coast of India, and thankfully, no injuries were recorded on board the vessel. According to the Pentagon statement, the drone was launched from Iran, and while the ship flew under the Liberian flag and was operated by a Dutch organisation, it is owned by a Japanese company. According to Ambrey, the vessel is "Israel-affiliated," with allegations linking the Dutch business running the ship to Israeli maritime billionaire Idan Ofer.
Read More: Five million barrels of Russian Sokol oil stuck en route to India
Another Israeli-owned cargo ship was struck in the Indian Ocean last month by a suspected drone attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The recent attack on the MV Chem Pluto is the latest in a series of drone and missile attacks on the Red Sea maritime lane by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, which has coincided with the Israel-Hamas conflict since October 7. The insurgents claim to be acting in sympathy with Gaza, but no one has yet claimed responsibility for the Indian Ocean strike.
The Indian navy responded quickly to a call for assistance by dispatching an aircraft to secure the safety of the engaged ship and crew. An Indian naval warship has also been dispatched to assist as needed.
Separately, the US cruiser Laboon intercepted four attack drones launched from Huthi-controlled parts of Yemen. Although no injuries or property damage were recorded, the incident emphasises the region's growing dangers. According to the Pentagon's Central Command (Centcom), Huthi rebels launched two antiship ballistic missiles into Red Sea trade routes on the same day, bringing the total number of Huthi terrorist attacks on commercial vessels to 15 since October 17.
Despite greater fuel costs for lengthier voyages, these attacks have pushed major maritime companies to reroute vessels around Africa's southern edge. In response to the deterioration of the situation, an official from Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned of the forced closing of other rivers unless Israel ended its conflict with Hamas. The Mediterranean Sea was named among the waterways, but no further information was provided.
As tensions rise and maritime security concerns grow, the international community is keeping a close eye on developments in the region, emphasising the importance of diplomatic solutions to prevent future interruptions to global trade routes.
Read more: Oil rises by more than 1% on Red Sea tanker attack, re-routings
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
