Israeli media outlets are currently attributing the recent Saturday attack to Iran, although the responsible party remains unconfirmed, according to reports from the Times of Israel. The attack involved a drone targeting a tanker off the coast of India, suspected to have been launched from Iran directly, as per Channel 12’s account.
The damaged tanker, known as the MV Chem Pluto, suffered structural harm and took on water as a result of the attack. The Indian navy is reportedly on its way to aid the vessel in distress.
This incident, occurring far from the Red Sea, falls within a zone classified by Ambrey as a “heightened threat area” for Iranian drone activity. While Yemen’s HOuthis haven’t historically executed operations at such a distance, the proximity of Iran’s southern coast to Indian waters suggests the plausibility of their capability.
The MV Chem Pluto, en route from Jubail, Saudi Arabia, to Mangalore, India, had all 20 crew members safe and unharmed despite a fire ignited by the drone strike, which was successfully put out.
In response to the emergency, the Indian Coast Guard and other assisting ships are mobilizing to aid the damaged vessel, as confirmed by footage captured by an Indian Navy helicopter following the United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issuing an initial alert about the incident.
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