Middle East Crisis Strait of Hormuz

Three Indian sailors killed in US attack

Three Indian sailors were killed in a US attack on a tanker off Oman on Wednesday, the BBC reports. The US has claimed that the ship violated the US blockade of Iranian ports.

The US has carried out three attacks on ships with Indian crews in the Persian Gulf this week.

On Thursday, the ship Jalveer, which had 20 people on board, was attacked. None of the crew were killed, but it is unclear whether anyone was injured.

India's foreign ministry has condemned the attacks, writes Bloomberg.

- The continued attacks on shipping are deeply concerning. We have lodged a strong protest with the US and expect it to be taken seriously, says ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal.

Unclear situation in the Strait of Hormuz after the attacks – the US and Iran contradict each other

The strategically important Strait of Hormuz has been closed until further notice after the new attacks by the US. This was announced by the newly created Iranian authority PGSA with responsibility for the strait, according to several media outlets.

The PGSA places all the blame for the new fighting on the US, but Iran attacked American targets in the region during the night, including with ballistic drones.

The US military command Centcom accuses Iran of lying. According to the US, the strait is still partially open.

The strait has been closed in practice since the war broke out. The US has tried several times to open the strait, but without full success, reports Sky News.