Iran-US conflict: An Indian mariner was killed on Monday, when an unmanned explosive-laden drone boat struck a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MKD Vyom off the coast of Oman, amid the ongoing Israel-US-Iran clash.
The Indian Embassy in Muscat condoled the death of the Indian crew member and said that it “is in close coordination with the local authorities in Oman to facilitate the safe and early repatriation of our nationals on board the vessel.”
“We remain committed to extending all possible assistance in this matter,” read the Embassy’s post on
In a statement, Oman’s Ministry of Defense said that the attack resulted in a fire and explosion in the engine room and the death of one crew member. The remaining 21 crew members were evacuated, reported PTI, citing the statement.
Israel-US-Iran clash
Death of the Indian crew member comes amid Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Gulf nations after the US and Israel jointly attacked the Islamic Republic on Saturday, 28 February. Iran has reportedly been threatening vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz, and carried out a wave of attacks mainly targeting Israel and American military bases in several Gulf countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, reported AP.
According to news wire PTI’s report, Tehran’s retaliation reportedly increased after Iranian State TV confirmed Khamenei’s death in the strikes.
Why Iran targeted US bases in Middle East?
Following its retaliatory missile barrage—reported across parts of the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Israel and Iraq—Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strikes were aimed at sites linked to US and Israeli operations.
“The Iranian armed forces consider as legitimate targets the sites from which the US and Zionist operations were carried out,” FM Abbas Araghchi said on Iranian TV.
Earlier, Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, wrote a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the president of the Security Council, warning that US bases, facilities and assets would be Iran’s “legitimate targets” if the United States followed through on its military threats and attacks.
‘Netanyahu’s office, Israel air force commander HQ targeted’
Earlier in the day, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed that their missile attacks have targeted the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the headquarters of the Israeli air force commander.
“The office of the criminal prime minister of the Zionist regime and the headquarters of the regime’s air force commander were targeted,” the Guards said in a statement carried by Fars news agency.
Amid the escalating tensions, Dubai airports were shut – with flights to and from Middle Eastern cities severely disrupted. Following three days of massive cancellations, the airports, in a statement, said ‘limited’ flights would resume from Monday evening, reported AFP.
