Indian-flagged crude oil tanker hit by drone in Red Sea: US Central Command

A unit of the US Department of Defense has said that an Indian-flagged crude oil tanker was hit by a drone in the Red Sea.

In a post on X, the US Central Command said that MV SAIBABA, a Gabon-owned vessel, was hit by a one-way attack drone. No injuries were reported.

According to the Command, a Norwegian-flagged tanker was also attacked.

"On December 23 two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. No ships reported being impacted by the ballistic missiles," said the US Central Command.

"U.S. Naval Forces Central Command received reports from two ships in the Southern Red Sea that they were under attack. The M/V BLAAMANEN, a Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker, reported a near miss of a Houthi one-way attack drone with no injuries or damage reported. A second vessel, the M/V SAIBABA, a Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, reported that it was hit by a one-way attack drone with no injuries reported," it added.

The US Central Command further said that the USS LABOON (DDG 58) responded to the distress calls from these attacks.

This comes hours after a tanker was struck by a drone off Gujarat coast.

Also watch: Drone that hit tanker off Gujarat coast fired from Iran: US Pentagon