India’s foreign ministry described the incident as “unacceptable,” saying commercial shipping and civilian mariners continued to face threats amid heightened regional tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

“The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable, and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said all Indian crew members aboard the vessel had been rescued safely by Omani authorities but did not identify the ship or specify who New Delhi believed was responsible for the attack.Maritime security firm Vanguard identified the vessel as the MSV Hajj Ali, a wooden cargo dhow carrying 14 crew members.

The company said it received reports that the ship sank off Limah, Oman, south of the Strait of Hormuz, after a suspected explosion.According to Vanguard, the vessel was transporting livestock from Berbera in Somaliland to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates when it was apparently struck by what was believed to be a drone or missile.

A fire reportedly broke out onboard, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel before it sank, the company said.Ship-tracking platform Maritime Traffic lists the MSV Hajj Ali as a 54-meter wooden dhow commonly used in regional cargo trade across Gulf and Arabian Sea routes.

Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has faced severe disruption since the outbreak of war involving Iran on Feb. 28. Tehran has imposed extensive restrictions on maritime movement through the waterway, while the United States has maintained a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports despite a ceasefire agreed in early April.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments during normal operating conditions, making any disruption a major concern for energy markets and import-dependent economies such as India.

“India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided,” the foreign ministry added.The incident occurred as India hosted foreign ministers from the BRICS bloc in New Delhi, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Speaking during the summit, Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz remained open to commercial traffic provided vessels coordinated with Iranian naval authorities, though he did not directly address the attack on the Indian vessel.

India’s foreign ministry described the incident as “unacceptable,” saying commercial shipping and civilian mariners continued to face threats amid heightened regional tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

“The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable, and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said all Indian crew members aboard the vessel had been rescued safely by Omani authorities but did not identify the ship or specify who New Delhi believed was responsible for the attack.

Maritime security firm Vanguard identified the vessel as the MSV Hajj Ali, a wooden cargo dhow carrying 14 crew members. The company said it received reports that the ship sank off Limah, Oman, south of the Strait of Hormuz, after a suspected explosion.

According to Vanguard, the vessel was transporting livestock from Berbera in Somaliland to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates when it was apparently struck by what was believed to be a drone or missile.A fire reportedly broke out onboard, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel before it sank, the company said.

Ship-tracking platform Maritime Traffic lists the MSV Hajj Ali as a 54-meter wooden dhow commonly used in regional cargo trade across Gulf and Arabian Sea routes.Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has faced severe disruption since the outbreak of war involving Iran on Feb. 28.

Tehran has imposed extensive restrictions on maritime movement through the waterway, while the United States has maintained a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports despite a ceasefire agreed in early April.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments during normal operating conditions, making any disruption a major concern for energy markets and import-dependent economies such as India.

“India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided,” the foreign ministry added.The incident occurred as India hosted foreign ministers from the BRICS bloc in New Delhi, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Speaking during the summit, Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz remained open to commercial traffic provided vessels coordinated with Iranian naval authorities, though he did not directly address the attack on the Indian vessel.

The ministry said in a statement that defense systems were “actively engaging” aerial threats and urged residents not to approach or photograph debris from intercepted projectiles.The attack came hours after the U.S. military said American naval forces in the Strait of Hormuz had intercepted Iranian attacks targeting three U.S. Navy vessels late Thursday and carried out retaliatory strikes against Iranian military facilities linked to operations against American forces.

United States Central Command said in a social media statement that U.S. forces responded to “unprovoked Iranian attacks” with what it described as self-defense strikes. The military said no American ships were hit and added that Washington did not seek further escalation but remained prepared to defend U.S. personnel and assets in the region.

Donald Trump told reporters in Washington that the ceasefire agreement between Tehran and Washington was still in effect despite renewed hostilities.

The latest violence threatens a truce that has largely held since April 8 after nearly six weeks of conflict triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets beginning Feb. 28.The UAE was among the Gulf states most affected during the conflict, facing repeated missile and drone attacks that authorities attributed to Iran.

Emirati officials said this week that strikes reported on Monday and Tuesday marked the first attacks on UAE territory since the ceasefire took effect.

According to UAE authorities, the country has been targeted by more than 2,000 drones, hundreds of ballistic missiles and dozens of cruise missiles since the war began. Officials said most were intercepted, but the attacks killed at least 13 people, injured more than 200 and damaged energy infrastructure and prominent buildings.

Other Gulf Arab countries also reported attacks during the conflict despite maintaining they were not directly participating in the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.On Thursday, the UAE announced the formation of a national committee to document what it described as Iranian attacks and the resulting human, economic and material losses, laying groundwork for potential legal action against Tehran.

State news agency WAM said the committee, chaired by the UAE attorney general, would gather evidence according to internationally recognized legal and technical standards to support future claims for accountability, reparations and justice.The move followed renewed diplomatic tensions after the UAE condemned statements by Iranian officials accusing Abu Dhabi’s security cooperation with Washington of threatening Iran’s national interests.

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country’s defense partnerships were a sovereign matter.

Efforts to secure a broader settlement remain stalled after talks hosted by Pakistan last month between U.S. and Iranian representatives ended without a comprehensive agreement to halt the conflict permanently.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the woman died on Sunday “alongside her Israeli husband and elderly parents-in-law” when the home was hit. Israeli rescue services reported recovering four bodies from the rubble following the strike, which was attributed to an Iranian missile attack.

Local media identified the Filipino victim by her given name, Lucille-Jean, stating that she and her family were pulled from the collapsed residence after hours of rescue operations.

The Philippine embassy in Tel Aviv has notified the victim’s relatives and is coordinating assistance, including efforts to repatriate her remains despite ongoing travel disruptions in the region.

The death marks the second confirmed Filipino fatality since hostilities escalated following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. Mary Ann Velasquez De Vera, a 32-year-old caregiver, was killed on March 1 while attempting to bring her elderly ward to a bomb shelter.

The conflict has placed an estimated two million Filipinos living and working across the Middle East at risk, many of whom are employed as domestic workers or in maritime roles. The Philippines relies heavily on remittances sent home by overseas workers, making the situation a growing concern for authorities in Manila.

Thousands of Filipino seafarers remain stranded amid heightened risks in the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping activity has been severely disrupted. Philippine officials said Iran had pledged to allow safe passage for Filipino vessels and crew, though no clear timeline has been provided.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump reiterated warnings that the United States could target Iranian infrastructure if tensions continue to escalate, as diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire remain unresolved.

The Israel Defense Forces said it had identified incoming missiles and was responding to the threat, confirming that defensive systems were operating to intercept them.

The exchange followed Israeli strikes described as a “wave” of air attacks on Iran, marking a further escalation in hostilities between the two countries.

No immediate details were provided on damage or casualties from the missile launches or interceptions.

The latest developments come amid intensifying cross-border attacks as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to expand, raising concerns over broader regional escalation.

We’re going after the IRGC,” Netanyahu said during the visit, adding that Israel would pursue its leadership, installations and economic assets.

The missile strike on Arad injured at least 59 people, according to Israeli medics, while nearby Dimona widely believed to be near Israel’s nuclear research facilities also sustained significant damage from a direct hit.

Rescue teams were deployed to affected neighbourhoods, where buildings were partially destroyed and debris scattered across residential areas. Authorities described the incident as a mass casualty event.

Netanyahu urged residents to strictly follow instructions from Israel’s Home Front Command and seek shelter during air raid sirens, describing the current situation as one in which “the entire home front is a frontline.

”He said adherence to safety protocols was critical to preventing casualties during continued missile barrages.

Iranian officials, including parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, have described recent strikes as marking a new operational phase in the conflict, as Iranian missiles penetrated Israeli air defences in areas previously considered highly protected.

The exchange of attacks comes amid a wider regional escalation involving Iranian-backed groups, including Hezbollah, and follows strikes on key sites in both countries as the conflict enters its fourth week.