Two tankers were attacked on 11 October, one in the strait of Hormuz and the other at the Sohar anchorage offshore Oman, Indian ports, shipping and waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.
The 149,997dwt Suezmax tanker Valthera was hit by an unknown projectile, causing a fire on board, Sonowal said. The vessel was carrying crude from Basrah, Iraq, having sailed on 8 October, Vortexa data show.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) had earlier said that an outbound tanker transiting the strait of Hormuz had been struck by a projectile, causing damage to the vessel.
The 3,922dwt small oil products tanker Petro Dolphin was hit by a drone at the Sohar anchorage on 11 October, Sonowal said. Two Indian seafarers are missing, according to the minister.
UKMTO had earlier said that a tanker at the Sohar anchorage had been hit by an aerial drone.
"India reiterates the need for immediate de-escalation and a resolution to the ongoing conflict through dialogue and diplomacy," the Indian foreign ministry said following the two incidents. "Attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease. Freedom of navigation and the safe, unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways, in accordance with international law, must be upheld."
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) navy claimed "a supertanker" had struck a naval mine after sailing through the strait of Hormuz with its navigation systems switched off on Sunday. Footage of the incident did not clearly resemble a mine explosion, and the circumstances of the incident and the cause of the fire were unconfirmed at publishing time.
"All ships within the limits of the Strait of Hormuz that turn off their navigation and identification systems will be identified as hostile and will be dealt with severely and decisively," state news agency Isna said, quoting the IRGC Navy.
Isna claimed there were three incidents over the weekend of tankers transiting "unauthorized shipping lanes" colliding with naval mines in the strait of Hormuz, but none of the incidents has yet been independently confirmed.
