The US Department of Defense has accused the Iranian government of orchestrating a drone attack on a chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean. The vessel, known as the CHEM PLUTO, is a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker. The attack occurred at approximately 10 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT) yesterday, 200 nautical miles off the coast of India.
The Pentagon spokesperson, in a statement to Reuters, confirmed that the attack was carried out by a one-way drone launched from Iran. Despite the severity of the attack, there were no casualties reported. A brief fire that broke out on the tanker was quickly extinguished.
This incident underscores the escalating regional tensions, particularly in light of the ongoing clashes between Israel and Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip.
On Friday, the White House issued a statement accusing Tehran of involvement in the Houthis’ attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. These incidents were described as an “international challenge” facing commercial shipping.
The drone attack on the CHEM PLUTO is part of a larger pattern of aggression in the region. Since October 17th, there has been a marked escalation in attacks on US interests and Coalition bases in the Middle East, coinciding with the renewed Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Proxies supported by Iran have carried out approximately 90 drone and rocket attacks targeting US and Coalition bases in Iraq and Syria. These attacks have resulted in up to 60 injuries to military personnel, as recently reported by the US Department of Defense.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
