A drone launched from Iran struck a chemical tanker in the Indian ocean early on December 23, the U.S. Department of Defense said. "The motor vessel CHEM PLUTO, a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker was struck at approximately 10 a.m. local time today in the Indian Ocean, 200 nautical miles from the coast of India, by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran," a Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters. The incident highlights escalating regional tensions and new risk to shipping lanes after the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, a group designated a terrorist organization by Washington and EU.
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