Three Indians dead in US strike on Settebello: Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed “three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead” after the US precision strike on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello off Sohar, Oman. CENTCOM said it “fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply,” accusing the tanker of “violating the ongoing blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran.” 21 of 24 Indian crew were rescued. These are the first casualties since the US blockade began on April 13, 2026 (8 ships disabled, 134 redirected, 42 humanitarian-aid vessels passed). India summoned the US deputy chief of mission, lodging a “strong protest” ahead of next week’s G7 Modi-Trump bilateral. A second incident involving the MT Jalveer was reported off Oman Thursday morning.

Hormuz, oil, and the wider crisis: Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to all traffic, a claim CENTCOM contests. Trump said the US has run a “secret mission” to slip oil past Iranian forces, claiming 100 million barrels evaded the chokehold. Brent crude trades above $93/barrel, up 25% since the February 28 war start. A Qatari delegation left Tehran on Thursday after talks. IMO chief Arsenio Dominguez condemned the Settebello attack: “This is simply unacceptable.” The IMO has logged 43 attacks on shipping since the war began. For India, which sources 65-70 per cent of crude through Hormuz, has ~1.35 million nationals in Bahrain and Kuwait, and is the world’s third-largest seafarer supplier (300,000+) — the escalation has put renewed pressure on energy markets, diaspora security and Washington ties.

Follow The Indian Express Global Desk live coverage for the latest updates from the Middle East, the diplomatic corridors of Europe, and the evolving legal battles in Washington.