Three Indian sailors were killed last month when the tanker Settebello was struck by U.S. missiles in the Gulf of Oman, a region near the Strait of Hormuz that has become increasingly volatile amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. The attack, which took place on June 10, marked the first civilian casualties attributed to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and highlighted the perilous conditions faced by merchant mariners operating in contested waters.
The Settebello, which had operated for at least five years transporting Iranian oil subject to U.S. sanctions, was engaged in a series of ship-to-ship oil transfers in the days prior to the strike. According to maritime tracking data and crew accounts, the vessel often concealed its location to evade detection. Satellite imagery indicated the ship remained stationary off the coast of Oman for several days before the attack, reportedly with its anchor down.
On the morning of June 10, U.S. forces fired precision missiles targeting the Settebello’s engine room, killing two crew members—a ship engineer and a mechanic—and inflicting fatal injuries on a young cadet having breakfast nearby. The vessel’s crew, primarily Indian nationals, had been warned repeatedly by the U.S. Navy to comply with the sanctions and avoid Iranian ports but reportedly ignored nearly 60 verbal warnings and multiple shows of force, including flare firings and military aircraft flyovers. U.S. Central Command stated that the tanker was violating the blockade by carrying Iranian oil and that the strike was intended to enforce U.S. sanctions.
Family members and the Indian Forward Seamen’s Union, however, dispute the U.S. narrative. They contend that the ship was compliant with international maritime law, maintained proper lookouts, and was drifting with its engine off at the time of the attack. They argue that the use of lethal force was disproportionate and call for an independent investigation and compensation for the victims’ families. The union emphasized that merchant sailors are civilians, not combatants trained for warfare, underscoring the risks they face amid geopolitical conflicts.
The incident drew a diplomatic protest from India, a significant supplier of global merchant shipping labor, which has continued to press for accountability. The strike on the Settebello is part of a broader pattern of covert maritime operations and confrontations in the region, sometimes described as a shadow war between U.S. forces and Iran-related entities.
U.S. military officials have defended the action as necessary and measured, noting that seizing a noncompliant vessel in hostile waters carries significant operational risks. Analysts say the strike reflects ongoing challenges in balancing enforcement of sanctions with adherence to international law, especially in complex environments where civilian lives are at stake.
The attack on the Settebello illustrates the broader strategic tensions in the Gulf, where recent hostilities have included Iranian retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases in the Middle East and threats to maritime navigation through vital waterways. These developments underscore the fragile state of security in the region and the continuing risks faced by noncombatant seafarers amid geopolitical friction.