An Indian-flagged cargo vessel sank in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday following a suspected drone or missile attack — the second major maritime security incident in the region in less than 24 hours, officials confirmed.
The vessel, identified as the Haji Ali, was attacked while transiting near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a corridor through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil flows. Fourteen crew members were rescued by nearby vessels after the attack, according to India’s Maritime Authority. No casualties were reported among the rescued crew.
The strike came less than a day after Iranian military forces seized another vessel — the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan — operating as a so-called “floating armoury” for private security contractors in the same waters. The Hui Chuan was intercepted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and is being escorted toward Iranian territorial waters.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical oil shipment routes. Any escalation of tensions in the area sends immediate shockwaves through global energy markets. The incidents have alarmed shipping companies and governments across the Persian Gulf and wider Middle East.
India’s government confirmed it was working to secure the safety of the Haji Ali’s crew and was monitoring the broader situation in the Gulf of Oman. The country’s foreign ministry said it was in contact with international partners regarding the attack.
Thursday’s incident follows a period of heightened regional instability. On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where Xi delivered a direct warning that mishandling the Taiwan issue could trigger conflict between the two powers. Maritime security in the Gulf was among the topics discussed during that summit, according to officials briefed on the talks.
The Haji Ali attack marks the most significant maritime strike in the Gulf region in months. Iranian officials have not claimed responsibility for the vessel’s sinking, though the IRGC has carried out similar strikes in the past. Regional analysts said the timing of the incidents — coming amid high-level U.S.-China diplomatic activity — suggested a deliberate effort to signal Iranian resolve.
Shipping insurers have issued alerts urging vessels to exercise extreme caution when transiting the Gulf of Oman and approaches to the Strait of Hormuz. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations authority said it was monitoring the situation closely.
The attacks underscore the widening scope of regional conflict that has expanded from the Russia-Ukraine theatre to the broader Middle East, with maritime chokepoints increasingly becoming targets in the escalating tensions.
Written by Nathan Brooks, Economy Correspondent
Nathan Brooks
Nathan Brooks is an economy correspondent covering US markets and fiscal policy.