Iran attacks commercial ship with drone in Indian Ocean: US defense official says

The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S, April 6, 2023. REUTERS/Tom Brenner/File Photo

A Japanese-owned, Netherlands-operated chemical tanker was struck by a drone fired from Iran on Saturday in the Indian Ocean, a U.S. defense official told Fox News. 

The MT Chem Pluto was struck around 10 a.m. local time around 200 nautical miles from the Indian coast.

There were no casualties and a fire on board was extinguished. No U.S. Navy vessels were in the area at the time of the one-way drone attack.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command remained in communication with the vessel as it continues toward a destination in India. 

The attack was the seventh Iranian engagement on commercial shipping vessels since 2021.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have attacked multiple ships on the Red Sea since Israel went to war with Hamas on Oct. 7.