New delhi: India on Friday summoned a US diplomat in New Delhi for the second time in a week to protest attacks on vessels off the coast of Oman amid the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, official sources told Anadolu.

According to Anadolu Agency, Jason Meeks, the charge d'Affaires of the US diplomatic mission, was summoned to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to protest attacks on commercial vessels. The sources indicated that the Indian government has expressed serious concerns regarding the incident, which resulted in the death of at least three Indian nationals after US forces targeted the vessels off the coast of Oman on Thursday.

India's Ministry of External Affairs released a statement emphasizing its 'deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping.' The ministry highlighted that such actions are deemed unacceptable as they jeopardize the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce, especially in a region that is already experiencing significant challenges.

In response to the incident, New Delhi has urged the US diplomat to 'convey India's strong concerns' to his authorities. The message stressed the importance of ensuring that US forces operating in the region adopt all necessary measures to avoid the loss of civilian lives.

This recent summoning follows an earlier one on Wednesday, where New Delhi had already conveyed its protest regarding the attacks. An official from India's External Affairs Ministry stated that the US Navy launched attacks on three vessels carrying Indian crew members off the coast of Oman. Although the vessels were foreign-flagged, they were manned by Indian nationals.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that it had disabled the Guinea-Bissau-flagged M/T Jalveer, Palau-flagged tankers M/T Marivex, and M/T Settebello, as they were attempting to transport Iranian oil this week. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran and the subsequent US lockdown of Iranian ports since April 13 have further intensified the situation in the region.

CENTCOM disclosed that American forces have disabled nine non-compliant vessels, redirected 135 ships that complied with regulations, and permitted 42 vessels providing humanitarian aid to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13.