A chemical tanker struck Saturday off the coast of India was focused “by a one-way assault drone fired from Iran,” the Pentagon mentioned in a press release.
The assault passed off round 10 a.m. native time and brought about no casualties aboard the Japanese-owned vessel, it mentioned, including {that a} fireplace was extinguished.
The U.S. navy “stays in communication with the vessel because it continues towards a vacation spot in India,” it added.
The Pentagon assertion mentioned the Chem Pluto ship flew below a Liberian flag and was operated by a Dutch entity.
The drone strike occurred 200 nautical miles off the coast of India, it mentioned, including that no U.S. Navy vessels have been within the neighborhood.
There was no instant declare of accountability for the strike which got here amid a flurry of drone and missile assaults by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on a significant transport lane within the Crimson Sea. The U.S. on Friday accused Iran of shut involvement in these assaults.
Nonetheless, Iran’s deputy overseas minister on Saturday dismissed these U.S. accusations, claiming the group was performing by itself.
The Houthis say they’re conducting the assaults in solidarity with Palestinians within the besieged Gaza Strip.
The Indian navy mentioned it had responded to a request for help.
“An plane was dispatched and it reached overhead the vessel and established security of the concerned ship and its crew,” a navy official informed AFP.
“An Indian navy warship has additionally been dispatched in order to offer help as required.”