{"id":2132769,"date":"2023-12-24T09:35:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-24T14:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iranian-drone-hits-chemical-tanker-off-indian-coast-us-defense-official\/"},"modified":"2023-12-24T09:43:14","modified_gmt":"2023-12-24T14:43:14","slug":"iranian-drone-hits-chemical-tanker-off-indian-coast-us-defense-official","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iranian-drone-hits-chemical-tanker-off-indian-coast-us-defense-official\/","title":{"rendered":"Iranian drone strikes chemical tanker near Indian coast, confirms US defense official"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Firanian-drone-hits-chemical-tanker-off-indian-coast-us-defense-official%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2132769&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Chemical Tanker Struck by Iranian Attack Drone in Indian Ocean<\/h2>\n<p>A\u200b dramatic incident\u2064 unfolded on Saturday when a chemical tanker, the motor vessel CHEM PLUTO, was targeted by\u2062 an Iranian attack drone in the Indian \u200bOcean. \u2063This attack marks\u200c a significant shift, as \u2063previous attacks were \u2064believed to have originated from Yemen. A defense official from the United States revealed this startling information to the Washington Examiner.<\/p>\n<h3>Escalating Tensions in the \u200cRegion<\/h3>\n<p>Ever since the conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels \u200din Yemen \u200chave been\u200d responsible for numerous attacks and attempted \u200dhijackings\u2062 of commercial \u200cships in the \u2064Red Sea. However, Saturday&#8217;s attack \u200con the CHEM PLUTO \u2063occurred about\u2064 200 nautical miles off the \u2063coast of\u200c India, deviating from the usual\u2062 Houthi targets.<\/p>\n<h3>Iran&#8217;s Involvement and Support<\/h3>\n<p>The \u200cUnited States has accused Iran of actively supporting\u200c the Houthi attacks\u2062 by providing them with critical intelligence.\u2064 This \u200drevelation has prompted major shipping companies \u200bto \u200dalter their routes, even if it means longer travel times, in \u2062order\u200c to avoid the dangerous\u2064 waters. National \u200bSecurity Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson emphasized Iran&#8217;s role\u200c in these destabilizing actions, stating, \u2064&#8221;We know \u200bthat Iran was\u200b deeply\u200c involved \u2062in\u2063 planning the \u200coperations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Watson highlighted the importance of Iranian-provided tactical intelligence,\u2063 which has enabled\u2063 the Houthi rebels to target maritime\u200d vessels since November. The intelligence picture used by the Houthis relies\u2063 heavily\u2062 on Iranian-provided \u2064monitoring \u200bsystems.<\/p>\n<h3>Response from the United States<\/h3>\n<p>U.S. Central Command confirmed \u200cthat the \u200bHouthis themselves carried out a \u200cseries\u200c of \u2062attacks on Saturday. Two\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-china-builds-mockups-of-u-s-navy-ships-for-missile-target-practice\/\" title=\"Report: China Builds Mockups of U.S. Navy Ships for Missile Target Practice\">anti-ship ballistic missiles<\/a> \u200cwere fired\u200c into international shipping lanes in the Southern \u2064Red Sea, but no ships were \u2063impacted. The USS LABOON successfully intercepted four drones that \u200cwere heading \u2062towards it, while \u200dthe M\/V BLAAMANEN narrowly \u2063avoided a one-way\u2063 attack drone.\u200c However, the M\/V SAIBABA was hit \u2063by a one-way \u200battack drone, fortunately without\u200b any\u200b reported injuries.<\/p>\n<p>These attacks on commercial vessels mark the \u200b14th and 15th incidents since the conflict began in the \u200cMiddle East.<\/p>\n<h3>Protecting Commercial Vessels<\/h3>\n<p>The\u200d U.S. military has not launched any strikes against the Houthis, but American naval vessels\u200c in the region have responded\u2064 to distress calls and intercepted \u2063drones. In \u2063addition, the Pentagon is \u2062leading Operation \u200bProsperity Guardian, a \u2062coalition of over \u200c20 countries acting as a &#8220;highway\u2064 patrol&#8221; for commercial vessels navigating the \u2062Red Sea. \u200cThis \u200cdefensive coalition aims to safeguard maritime\u2064 vessels and ensure their\u200d safe passage.<\/p>\n<p>According to Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder, Operation Prosperity Guardian is comparable to \u2063a &#8220;Highway Patrol&#8221;\u2064 designed to \u2064protect and secure maritime traffic.<\/p>\n<p>As tensions continue\u200d to rise \u200bin the region, the safety of commercial\u2064 vessels remains a top priority.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/chemical-tanker-struck-by-iranian-attack-drone-in-indian-ocean\">The Washington Examiner<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How can the\u200d international\u2063 community enhance cooperation \u2063and coordination to effectively address the rising threats to maritime\u200b security in the \u2063Indian Ocean and surrounding areas<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Tions \u200band providing the necessary resources\u2063 for the Houthi rebels.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It is believed that\u2062 Iran&#8217;s motivation for supporting \u2063these\u200b attacks is\u2063 to disrupt the flow\u2064 of international trade and put pressure \u200don its adversaries in the region, particularly Saudi Arabia\u200b and the United Arab Emirates. By\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-a-first-since-1991-royal-navy-warship-engages-hostile-aerial-target\/\" title=\"Royal Navy warship engages hostile aerial target, marking first time since 1991\">targeting commercial vessels<\/a>, Iran hopes to create economic instability and increase tensions between the countries\u2064 involved.<\/p>\n<h3>The Role of Attack Drones<\/h3>\n<p>The use of attack drones in maritime warfare \u2063is a relatively new \u2064phenomenon and has proven to be a game-changer\u2062 in regional conflicts. These unmanned \u2062aerial\u200c vehicles (UAVs) are capable\u200b of carrying \u200bout precise and targeted strikes against ships, posing a significant threat to maritime security. Attack\u200b drones provide the perpetrators with the element\u2063 of surprise, allowing them to\u2062 carry out \u200dattacks from remote locations without risking their own forces.<\/p>\n<p>The attack on the\u2063 CHEM PLUTO marks a disturbing\u200c development in \u2062Iran&#8217;s \u200bcapabilities as it \u2063demonstrates \u2063their ability to strike vessels \u2062far beyond their usual range. This raises concerns about the \u200cpotential escalation of attacks and the \u2064need\u200c for enhanced security\u200b measures in the\u200c Indian Ocean and surrounding areas.<\/p>\n<h3>International Response and Implications<\/h3>\n<p>The international community has condemned\u200d Iran&#8217;s involvement in these attacks and called \u2064for an immediate cessation of hostilities. \u2063The United States,\u200d in particular, has pledged to\u2064 work with\u2063 its \u2062allies to ensure the security \u200dof \u200bcommercial shipping in the region. \u2063The incident with the\u2063 CHEM PLUTO has further strengthened calls\u2062 for\u2064 increased surveillance and military presence in \u2063the\u2063 Indian Ocean \u2064to deter future attacks.<\/p>\n<p>Shipping companies and maritime organizations are also taking proactive measures to mitigate \u2063the risks posed by these \u2063attacks. This includes employing \u2062private security services, rerouting vessels\u2063 to safer areas, and sharing intelligence to enhance situational \u200cawareness.<\/p>\n<h3>The Need for International\u2063 Cooperation<\/h3>\n<p>The attack on the CHEM \u200dPLUTO highlights the urgent need for\u2063 international \u200ccooperation and coordination in addressing maritime security\u2064 threats. It is crucial for countries in the region\u200b and the \u2063international\u2062 community to come together \u2064and formulate \u2064comprehensive strategies to counter and deter acts of\u200c aggression at sea.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200b protection of global trade and\u200d the safety of seafarers \u200bshould be paramount, and concerted \u2063efforts must be made\u2064 to ensure the security \u200bof <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-says-it-warned-away-u-s-warship-in-south-china-sea-u-s-denies\/\" title=\"China Says It Warned Away U.S. Warship in South China Sea, U.S. Denies\">vital shipping lanes<\/a>. This requires increased \u200binformation sharing, joint\u200b patrols, \u200dand a \u200cunified approach\u200d to dealing with the destabilizing actions\u2063 of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republicans-warn-there-will-be-no-immigration-reform-discussions-without-first-securing-the-border\/\" title=\"House Republicans Warn There Will Be No Immigration Reform Discussions Without First Securing the Border\">state-sponsored actors<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>A Call for Swift Action<\/h3>\n<p>The attack on the CHEM PLUTO serves as \u2062a wake-up\u2064 call\u200b for the international community to take immediate action to safeguard maritime security. The\u200d threat\u2062 posed by state-sponsored attacks using\u200d advanced weaponry necessitates a robust \u200band coordinated response.<\/p>\n<p>It is imperative\u200d that the responsible actors are \u2063held\u200c accountable for their actions and\u2063 that measures are implemented \u2063to\u2062 prevent further attacks. \u200cFailure \u2062to do\u2062 so not only jeopardizes the lives \u2064of innocent seafarers but also undermines the \u200cstability \u2064of global \u2064trade and international security.<\/p>\n<p>Addressing the rising tensions and threats in the Indian Ocean and surrounding areas requires a collective effort and a commitment to upholding\u200d the principles\u2064 of peace,\u200b security, and prosperity.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Iranian attack drone hit a chemical tanker, CHEM PLUTO, in the Indian Ocean on Saturday. This marked the first time that Iran, rather than Yemen, was responsible for one of the recent missile and drone attacks on vessels. The tanker is Liberian flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2132770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2132769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2132769"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132769\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2132770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2132769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2132769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2132769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}