Three Indian sailors have been confirmed dead after a US military strike on the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello off the coast of Oman, prompting India to lodge a formal protest with Washington and raising fresh concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf.

India's shipping minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said three missing crew members were found dead after a search operation.

"Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after bodies have been located and identified," he wrote on X.

Sonowal described the incident as a "profound loss" and said the Indian government was arranging the repatriation of both the survivors and the victims' remains.

US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military activities in the Middle East, said it carried out a precision strike on the tanker after the crew "repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces."

Washington has accused the vessel of attempting to transport Iranian oil in violation of a US blockade imposed after the conflict with Iran intensified.

India's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and summoned a senior US diplomat in New Delhi to register a "strong protest," according to Indian officials and media reports.

Separately, India's embassy in Oman reported a maritime emergency involving another tanker, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MT Jalveer, off the Omani coast.

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors shipping security in the region, said the vessel "experienced a fire in the engine room."

CENTCOM later said US forces had disabled the Jalveer after it allegedly violated a US naval blockade by attempting to transport Iranian oil from Iran through the Gulf of Oman.