India has summoned Iran’s Deputy Ambassador to the Ministry of External Affairs after an Iranian missile strike on two UAE tankers in the Strait of Hormuz left one Indian crew member dead and several others injured. The diplomatic action came a day after the UAE confirmed that Iranian cruise missiles had struck the tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah in the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, within Omani territorial waters. The attack resulted in the death of one Indian national and left eight other crew members injured. According to Emirati authorities, the injured include six Indians and two Ukrainians, with four individuals remaining in a critical condition.
The summoning of the Iran Deputy Chief of Mission, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, along with others, comes after an official expression of concern from New Delhi, which was seeking assurances in terms of the safety of its nationals working in the region. Post the attack, the Ministry of External Affairs has demanded immediate de-escalation, stating that it finds the continued maritime attacks highly disturbing. The ministry went on to stress upon the need for an immediate resumption of diplomatic talks so that normalcy can be restored, and more importantly, the targeting of commercial ships and civilian installations should stop.
The UAE reported that the cruise missiles caused significant fires on both vessels, with Abu Dhabi condemning the strike as a brazen violation of international law. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains highly volatile as maritime operators navigate competing claims over the vital energy chokepoint. The incident follows a recent proposal by US President Donald Trump to offer American military protection to vessels transiting the strait in exchange for a 20 per cent fee. Tehran has firmly dismissed the American proposal, reasserting its own control over the waterway and stating it would not impose such charges on commercial shipping.
Also read: IRGC targets Jordan, Kuwait as US ends fourth round of strikes
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