A drone strike caused an explosion and ignited a merchant ship in the Arabian Sea on Saturday. While no casualties have been reported on the ship, news agency ANI reported. The crew includes 20 Indians and an Indian Coast Guard vessel, it added. Following the action, the Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram dispatched a vessel to assist the stricken merchant ship. Investigations into the drone strike are launched as the focus remains on ensuring the safety of the crew and minimizing potential environmental damage.Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is moving towards a merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea 217 nautical miles off Porbandar cost after it reported a fire incident suspected to be caused by a drone attack. The vessel has crude oil and was going towards Mangalore from… pic.twitter.com/a8JQevOn1Z— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023Uncertainty hangs heavy as no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. This lack of clarity mirrors the volatile environment in the region. Last month, an Israeli-owned cargo ship faced a suspected drone attack. As per the US officials, Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was held responsible. Similarly, Iran-backed Houthis have intensified drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea, specifically targeting vessels linked to Israel. This surge in attacks has forced commercial shipping to take longer, detouring routes to navigate around these volatile areas.The Iranian threat extends beyond the Red Sea, with senior officials mentioning the potential closure of the Mediterranean Sea in response to perceived crimes by the US and its allies. Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi said, They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, (the Strait of) Gibraltar and other waterways.
