An Iranian-launched drone reportedly struck a chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean, marking the first known attack on a commercial vessel outside the Red Sea since the recent surge of incidents in the region. The Pentagon confirmed the attack, stating that the Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated tanker was targeted at approximately 6am GMT, around 200 nautical miles off the coast of India. The strike is believed to be a one-way attack by an Iranian drone, further escalating tensions in the area.

The attack comes amidst a string of assaults on commercial ships in the Red Sea. These incidents have primarily been carried out by Houthi rebels in Yemen, who receive support from Iran. The rebels have been targeting vessels with connections to Israel, in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Several missiles and drones have been intercepted by American and French warships patrolling the region.

Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran's foreign minister, denied any involvement in the recent drone attack and the assaults on vessels in the Red Sea. He asserted that Iran does not have any proxy groups in the region and stated, "The acts done by others should not be attributed to Iran proxy groups. We don't have any proxy groups in the region."

These attacks on commercial ships have had significant consequences for global trade, leading to rerouted shipping routes and potentially causing delays and price hikes. The Houthis, Iranian-backed rebels who seized control of Yemen's capital in 2014, have sporadically targeted ships in the region, progressively escalating their attacks during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The rebels have utilized drones and anti-ship missiles to carry out their assaults. In a notable incident, they even boarded and seized an Israeli-owned ship using a helicopter, along with its crew. This prompted the United States and several other nations to announce their intention to protect ships navigating through the Red Sea when under attack.

Last week, a coalition was formed to safeguard vessels in the waterway. However, Amirabdollahian dismissed the need for such a coalition, stating that if the US stops supporting Israel, the region would become more secure and energy transportation conditions would improve.

As tensions escalate and attacks continue, the safety and security of commercial shipping remain a major concern in the Red Sea and now the Indian Ocean. The international community will be closely monitoring developments and working towards finding a solution to ensure the protection of maritime trade routes in the region.