{"id":699389,"date":"2026-06-12T08:44:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:44:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/699389\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T08:44:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:44:11","slug":"us-iran-ceasefire-not-for-indian-sailors-being-killed-in-hormuz-us-israel-war-on-iran-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/699389\/","title":{"rendered":"US-Iran ceasefire? Not for Indian sailors being killed in Hormuz | US-Israel war on Iran News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three Indian sailors have been killed in strikes on at least three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz this week, as the United States doubles down on its naval blockade of Iranian ports.<\/p>\n

The Indian government on Wednesday summoned a senior US diplomat<\/a> in New Delhi to demand an explanation after the US military hit a Palau-flagged ship off Oman\u2019s coast, killing the three Indian sailors. Hours earlier, the US had also bombed another Palau-flagged vessel with 24 Indian sailors on board \u2013 also off the coast of Oman.<\/p>\n

Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n

And on Thursday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces had \u201cdisabled\u201d a third tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel \u201cviolated the blockade against Iran by attempting to transport Iranian oil\u201d.<\/p>\n

By Friday morning, US President Donald Trump and Iranian officials were both speaking optimistically of the prospect of an agreement to at least extend the\u00a0fragile ceasefire between their countries, brokered first in April by Islamabad. But for thousands of seafarers, stranded on either side of the Strait of Hormuz, peace remains elusive.<\/p>\n

The attacks on ships with Indian sailors are also the latest friction point in the relationship between Washington and New Delhi, which has reached new lows during US President Donald Trump\u2019s second term. Trump is expected to meet his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, next week at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France.<\/p>\n

So, why are Indian sailors dying in the Strait of Hormuz?<\/p>\n

Which ships has the US struck?<\/p>\n

In the past four days, the US military has attacked three vessels carrying Indian merchant navy men on board.<\/p>\n

On Monday this week, Manoj Yadav, general secretary of the Forward Seamen\u2019s Union of India, said he received frantic calls from Indian crew on board the Palau-flagged Marivex ship, requesting help.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have fire on board, we have fire on board. And vessel is sinking,\u201d a crew member on the ship said in the message. \u201cUS Navy attack, the missile on our engine room. We have hole at the bottom \u2026 24 crew. All crew Indian. Please help quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were all rescued by the Omani military and taken to an island off Oman\u2019s coast following the distress call.<\/p>\n

Later, CENTCOM confirmed that an F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln had \u201cfired a precision munition into the ship\u2019s engineering and steering spaces\u201d to disable the sanctioned ship.<\/p>\n

The next day, the US struck the Palau-flagged Settebello, killing three Indian sailors on board. US forces said the vessel had violated the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports. The remaining 21 Indian crew were rescued.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, the Indian embassy in Oman said that it was investigating yet another incident involving a vessel off the Shinas port in Oman, which took place in the early hours of the morning.<\/p>\n

Yadav said the latest ship to be targeted, MT Jalveer, has 20 Indian crew members. \u201cIt is a serious concern. The last three days have erased any little relief that was there after the ceasefire,\u201d he told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuddenly, the attacks over the last three days show that Indian seafarers are being targeted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yadav argued that the US military could have taken control of the ship rather than firing missiles at it. \u201cThey are not warships; they are commercial ships,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the US military is not firing a warning shot; they are shooting a bloody missile that will definitely destroy ships and kill the sailors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran\u2019s foreign ministry spokesperson, condemned the \u201cbrutal US attacks\u201d that \u201cstand as clear evidence of America\u2019s ongoing policy of armed robbery and State piracy\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe international community must hold the United States accountable for its lawless conduct, which continues to threaten global peace and security while endangering the freedom of navigation,\u201d he added in the statement.<\/p>\n

In a statement late on Wednesday, the secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Arsenio Dominguez said that he \u201cstrongly\u201d condemned \u201cany act from any party that endangers the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping. This is simply unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Have Indian sailors been hit before?<\/p>\n

Yes. Indian seafarers have repeatedly found themselves on the front lines in the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iran having allowed some Indian ships to pass through it at certain times since the US-Israel war on Iran began. Iran closed the strait early into the war, threatening to fire on any ships trying to pass, but has at times allowed ships from nations it deems \u201cfriendly\u201d to go through.<\/p>\n

The first death was reported just days into the war, on March 1. An Indian crew member on board the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MKD Vyom<\/a> was killed when the vessel was struck by an unmanned surface missile off the coast of Oman. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, although US CENTCOM blamed Iranian forces.<\/p>\n

The same day, an attack on the Palau-flagged tanker Skylight near Oman\u2019s Musandam Peninsula killed two Indian crew members, while a third was reported missing.<\/p>\n

Two Indian vessels were struck in the Strait of Hormuz on April 18. India\u2019s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri summoned Iran\u2019s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, to convey India\u2019s \u201cdeep concern\u201d about the incidents.<\/p>\n

On May 8, yet another Indian sailor was killed when a wooden dhow carrying Indian crew members caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n

These attacks were not immediately attributed by Indian officials, but reportedly originated from Iran.<\/p>\n

In all, at least seven Indian sailors have been killed during the war so far.<\/p>\n

\"INTERACTIVE<\/p>\n

How has India responded?<\/p>\n

New Delhi has lodged diplomatic protests. On Wednesday this week, it summoned Jason Meeks, the US embassy\u2019s deputy chief of mission in the Indian capital, to convey its \u201cdeepest concerns over the ongoing attacks\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello,\u201d Sarbananda Sonowal, India\u2019s shipping minister, said in a statement, verifying that the three Indians initially reported missing had been confirmed dead.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted there were US attacks on three ships with Indian crews this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese attacks must cease and end,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cWe also call for dialogue and diplomacy so that we can have an early return to peace and stability in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason Chuah, a professor of maritime law at City St George\u2019s, University of London, told Al Jazeera that the fact that Indian sailors have been killed on board a ship registered in Palau \u2013 neither of which is a party to the ongoing conflict \u2013 is likely to provoke \u201csome serious diplomatic headaches\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Palau\u2019s point of view, it is indeed reasonable to suggest that neutral ships flying non-belligerent flags should be given stronger protection during a blockade,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe frustrating part, however, is that even if most think it [the attack] was wrong, actually doing something about it is a whole different story. That\u2019s always been a nightmare with international law. Knowing something\u2019s illegal and actually holding anyone accountable for it are two very different things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is it legal to bomb non-combatant ships?<\/p>\n

The Strait of Hormuz passes through the territorial waters of Oman and Iran, with the outer edges of it extending to the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is not in international waters. However, international maritime law still applies to any natural strait, such as Hormuz, which is used by international shipping.<\/p>\n

According to Article 38 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), all ships and aircraft should \u201cenjoy the right of transit passage\u201d, which cannot be suspended by any country.\u00a0 Article 17 of the convention states that all foreign ships also have the \u201cright of innocent passage\u201d in the territorial waters of any nation, and Article 19 states that passage is considered innocent so long as it is not \u201cprejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal state\u201d.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, under international humanitarian law, deliberately targeting non-combatant ships is illegal.<\/p>\n

An Indian captain who has served in the merchant navy for decades, and who requested anonymity since he is still serving and not authorised to speak to the media, told Al Jazeera: \u201cIt is not OK to bomb non-combatant ships whose crew are neither armed nor pose a threat to the security of the coastal state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chuah said the US strike on civilian cargo ships is \u201csomewhat murky in legal waters\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe [US] blockade itself might be fine under the law of war rules \u2013 but there is the important question of proportionality. It is certainly arguable that firing on a tanker and killing the crew goes far beyond that which is proportionate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Chuah added, however, that there is another view that the threshold of force in enforcing a blockade at times of war is higher than during peacetime.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis means the actions taken to enforce a blockade can exceed simply intercepting the cargo vessel,\u201d he said. \u201cCapture and destruction might be permissible under narrow circumstances. But it would be intellectual contortion to justify or excuse the killing of civilian merchant seafarers with knowledge and intent.\u201d<\/p>\n

So what protections are available to Indian sailors?<\/p>\n

According to India\u2019s Directorate General of Shipping, more than 300,000 Indian sailors serve global fleets.<\/p>\n

To ensure seafarers\u2019 safety, India\u2019s main maritime law, the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, provides the framework for grievances and redressals, and protects seafarers\u2019 rights. The law also protects Indian seafarers who are injured at sea.<\/p>\n

In cases where an Indian seafarer is injured and dies on a foreign-registered ship while the vessel is at high seas, \u201cit is the jurisdiction of the respective flag administration to conduct investigation into the cause of such accident or criminal incident\u201d, and the government of India will participate as an observer in any such observation, the act states.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, if \u201cany accident including the death or injury to any seafarer of any nationality on board a ship registered in foreign country\u201d takes place when the vessel is near the Indian coast, the case can be investigated by an Indian officer.<\/p>\n

The Maritime Union of India provides legal and financial aid to Indian seafarers in crisis, in addition to the insurance and compensation that ship owners provide.<\/p>\n

There is, however, little protection offered to sailors if their ship chooses to make the passage through blockaded straits, according to the Indian captain in the merchant navy.<\/p>\n

He explained that when merchant vessels attempt to pass through blockaded straits, they must ideally persuade the governments of the ship\u2019s respective flag states to initiate collective action through a multinational naval task force, such as the United Nations, in order to ensure that merchant ships are protected during their passage.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce the ships decide to make the passage, in order to minimise potential danger, only the bare minimum crew are kept on the bridge [point of navigation] and engine room [where propulsion takes place]. All the other crew stay off the forward part of the ship deck to escape chances of a direct missile or drone hit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The latest round of escalation between Iran and the US has, however, left Indian seafarers highly fearful of sailing in Gulf waters, according to Yadav.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone is living under a big threat, waiting there like sitting ducks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe US military has shown that they do not put any value on Indian lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

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