India has summoned a senior Iranian diplomat after an Indian crew member was killed in a missile attack on two UAE oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, as escalating fighting in the Middle East poses growing risks to commercial shipping and foreign nationals.
Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission Mohamed Javad Hosseini was called in following the deadly maritime incident, with Indian officials delivering a firm diplomatic response.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said the oil tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah were struck by Iranian cruise missiles while travelling through Omani territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz.
One Indian national aboard the Mombasa was killed in the attack. Eight other crew members — six Indians and two Ukrainians — were injured, with four reported to be in serious condition.
The tanker strikes come amid a sharp escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran. Washington has carried out three consecutive days of military strikes against Iranian targets, saying its operations are intended to weaken Tehran’s capabilities in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy claimed the U.S. military had directed the two tankers onto an unauthorized route through the waterway before the vessels were struck and disabled.
However, Iranian authorities did not explain how the tankers were hit or explicitly claim responsibility for the attack.
The incident has added to mounting concerns over maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments, as intensifying U.S.-Iran hostilities increasingly threaten commercial vessels and international crews operating in the region.
