India condemns Hormuz ship attack, says commercial shipping must not be targeted

The vessel, the Thai-registered bulk carrier Mayuree Naree, was reportedly struck while transiting the strait and heading toward Kandla.

Images shared by the Royal Thai Navy showed thick black smoke rising from the rear of the ship, with life rafts floating in the surrounding waters.

Responding to the incident, the Ministry of External Affairs said India had taken note of the reports and expressed concern over attacks on civilian vessels.

“We have seen reports about the attack on the Thai ship Mayuree Naree in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11. The ship was bound for Kandla in India. India deplores the fact that commercial shipping is being made a target of military attack since the ongoing conflict in West Asia,” the ministry said in a statement.

The government also noted that civilians, including Indian nationals, have been affected by similar incidents during the conflict.

Earlier in the day, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that two Indian nationals had died and one person remained missing following attacks on merchant vessels in conflict-affected waters.

Several other Indians have also reportedly been injured in the region, including one in Israel and another in Dubai.

Iran has effectively disrupted cargo movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean.

According to reports, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had struck two vessels — the Liberian-flagged container ship Express Rome and the Mayuree Naree — claiming they had entered the strait after ignoring warnings.

IRGC naval commander Alireza Tangsiri said in a social media post that vessels intending to pass through the strait must obtain permission from Iran.

In a separate statement broadcast on Iranian state television, Iran’s military command warned that ships belonging to the United States, Israel or their allies would be considered legitimate targets. It also reiterated that it would not allow oil shipments to pass through the strategic waterway.

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Defense said on Tuesday that American forces had destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels that could potentially have been used to block the strait.

Despite that, attacks involving drones and missiles reportedly continued on Wednesday, with at least three ships hit in the region.