Attack on cargo ships: Navy bolsters strength in Arabian Sea

New Delhi: The Indian Navy has deployed task groups comprising frontline destroyers and frigates in the central and north Arabian Sea and augmented its force levels in the region to undertake maritime security operations in view of recent attacks on commercial vessels in key shipping lanes.

The Navy said on Sunday that it has "substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts" and that recent incidents including the drone attack on commercial vessel MV Chem Pluto around 220 nautical miles southwest of Porbandar indicated a shift in maritime incidents closer to India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The additional deployment of the assets including long-range maritime patrol aircraft by the Indian Navy in the region came amid increasing global concerns over the Houthi militants targeting various cargo vessels in the Red Sea against the backdrop of the IsraelHamas conflict.

The Navy said the overall situation is being closely monitored in coordination with national maritime agencies and asserted that it remains committed to ensuring safety of merchant shipping in the region.

"Task Groups comprising destroyers and frigates have been deployed to undertake maritime security operations and render assistance to merchant vessels in case of any incident," it said.

Liberian-flagged vessel MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, was the target of a drone attack off India's west coast on December 23 that triggered security concerns in New Delhi as it came amid the Iran-backed Houthi militants launching strikes on several commercial ships in the Red Sea.

Besides MV Chem Pluto, another commercial oil tanker that was on the way to India came under a suspected drone strike in southern Red Sea on the same day.

The vessel had a team of 25 Indian crew. In another incident, Malta-flagged vessel MV Ruen was hijacked on December 14 by pirates.

"The last few weeks have witnessed increased maritime security incidents on merchant vessels transiting through international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Central/ North Arabian Sea," the Navy said.

US choppers fire at Houthi rebels, kill many

The US military said on Sunday that its forces opened fire on Houthi rebels after they attacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea, killing several of them in an escalation of the maritime conflict linked to the war in Gaza.

The US Central Command said the crew of the USS Gravely destroyer first shot down two antiship ballistic missiles fired at the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou late Saturday, after the vessel reported getting hit by a missile earlier that evening as it sailed through the Southern Red Sea. (PTI)