The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Wednesday strongly condemned an attack on a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz that reportedly left three seafarers missing.

In a statement, the IMO said the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello caught fire after reportedly being struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez expressed deep concern over the incident, saying any act endangering the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping was “simply unacceptable.”

In a separate statement on Wednesday, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said U.S. forces had disabled the tanker in the Gulf of Oman late Tuesday. According to CENTCOM, a U.S. military aircraft fired precision munitions into the vessel’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces.

Dominguez stressed that the protection of seafarers, civilian shipping and freedom of navigation must be upheld at all times, and that all actions affecting international shipping should fully respect international law and the safety of life at sea.

The IMO called for a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

According to the organization, 43 attacks on international shipping have been confirmed in and around the Strait of Hormuz since Feb. 28, 2026.