Florida [US], June 11 (ANI): The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Thursday confirmed that American forces had struck the Guinea-Bissau-flagged oil tanker MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian seafarers, in the Gulf of Oman, claiming that the ship had violated the US blockade against Iran in the region.

According to a statement issued by CENTCOM, the vessel attempted to transport Iranian oil and failed to comply with repeated directions from US forces and at around 11:20 pm ET on June 10, two Hellfire missiles were fired into the ship's engine room to stop its movement.

'U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) acted against Guinea-Bissau flagged M/T Jalveer as it attempted to transport oil from Iran through the Gulf of Oman. A U.S. aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship's engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from U.S. Forces,' the statement read.

The incident comes after the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways stated that no casualties or injuries have been reported in the maritime security incident involving bitumen tanker MT Jalveer, where smoke was detected due to a fire in the engine room off the coast of Oman, near the Shinas port.

Addressing an interministerial briefing on the development of West Asia, Additional Secretary of the Ministry Mukesh Mangal said that the Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel was carrying 20 Indian seafarers.

'On 11th June, MT Jalveer, with 20 Indian seafarers on board, was reportedly involved in a maritime security incident near Shinas port, Oman. All crew members are safe. As per the latest information, evacuation to Shinas port has commenced. Six more crew members are to be evacuated,' Mangal said.

This marks the third commercial vessel attacked by US forces in the Gulf of Oman this week. Earlier, Palau-flagged vessels MT Marivex and MT Settebello were disabled on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, for attempting to transport Iranian oil.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that three Indian seafarers have lost their lives in the attack on the vessel MT Settebello and have been identified.

During the inter-ministerial briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that efforts are underway to bring their mortal remains to India at the earliest and he also confirmed that the attack on MT Jalveer was carried out by the US Navy operating in the region.

'These attacks came from the US Navy that is stationed there. As you would have seen in the various reports, as also in what was clarified through our statements and otherwise from this podium, the three ships that have been involved in the incidents are foreign-flagged,' he said.

Jaiswal further stated that two of the vessels were under sanctions imposed by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), while another was under the category of a non-compliant ship.

'I also understand that two of them are OFAC-sanctioned ships and one of them is also in the category of a non-compliant ship,' Jaiswal stated.

On the deceased Indian crew members involved in the attack on the vessel MT Settebello, the MEA spokesperson confirmed that the identification process had been completed.

According to CENTCOM, since the blockade was initiated on April 13, US forces have disabled nine non-compliant vessels, redirected 135 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass.

'CENTCOM forces have disabled nine non-compliant vessels, redirected 135 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13,' the CENTCOM statement read.

The blockade is enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas amid diplomatic engagement to achieve a complete solution to the hostilities in West Asia, including all Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

The conflict, which was initiated on February 28, after US-Israeli forces struck Iran, has caused a major regional and geopolitical disruption as Iran and the US lock horns to virtually control the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the key routes for global energy trade. (ANI)