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A liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker carrying 28 Indian crew members came under attack on July 24 in the Strait of Hormuz, but all of the Indian crew are safe, the Indian Embassy in Iran announced.
The embassy said in a post on X that the Mozambique-flagged Meda was attacked in Iranian territorial waters. It added that Indian authorities were in close contact with relevant officials and would continue to closely monitor the situation of the tanker.
Video footage that surfaced online later shows what appears to be a fire aboard the Meda, although neither Iran nor the United States has claimed responsibility yet.
The very next day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an “encounter” between a tanker and “military forces” in the Gulf of Oman.
The agency advised vessels to “consult the latest maritime security information and remain alert to the evolving operational environment.” It added that authorities are investigating the situation but did not provide any further details relating to the tanker’s flag or the nature of the military forces involved.
The incident was linked to a statement by the Central Command (CENTCOM), which said U.S. forces disabled an oil tanker after it attempted to breach the U.S.-imposed blockade on Iranian ports.
Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for CENTCOM, said the tanker was disabled after its crew attempted to breach the blockade at least four times despite repeated warnings.
“The crew was repeatedly warned, didn’t comply, and US forces on scene disabled the ship after firing into its engine room,” Hawkins said, adding that the vessel was no longer en route to Iran.
It is possible that both tankers were targeted by the U.S., which reimposed its blockade on Iranian ports earlier in the month.
The latest attacks came amid a heated confrontation between the U.S. and Iran, which has so far seen the two sides exchanging strikes for more than 12 consecutive nights. The Strait of Hormuz—a choke point for around 20 percent of global oil and gas shipments—is the focal point of the confrontation.
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