US military disables oil tanker in Gulf of Oman over alleged Iran blockade violation

The US military has disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that it accused of violating an American blockade by "attempting to transport oil from Iran".

In a post on X, US Central Command said an aircraft fired "precision munitions" into the engine room of the Palau-flagged Settebello "after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces".

India's government said three Indian sailors were missing and 21 Indian crew members had been rescued after the attack on the Settebello off the coast of Oman.

It said the "targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end".

The US military blocked access to Iran's ports after Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies are transported, during the ongoing conflict.

US forces have disabled eight vessels and redirected 134 others since initiating the blockade on 13 April, according to Centcom.

Following the latest incident, the Indian government summoned the deputy head of the US mission in Delhi, officials told the BBC.

Earlier this week, US forces hit another Palau-flagged oil tanker with an Indian crew. The Marivex was also fired on in the Gulf of Oman after it failed to comply with US instructions, Centcom said.

Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and the US show no sign of easing. On Wednesday President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran "hard".

Trump said Tehran was taking too long to sign a peace deal and was playing Americans "for suckers".

The comments follow a series of strikes by both sides, after the downing of an American helicopter on Monday. Iran accused the US of violating a ceasefire.

The war began on 28 February, after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran that killed the country's supreme leader.

Iran responded by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf. The fighting escalated quickly across the region, with Lebanon drawn into the conflict in March.