The United States military must provide a full explanation of its decision to fire on a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
The American military says it disabled the vessel after its crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach a naval blockade involving Iranian ports.
But the public has not been given a complete account of the legal justification for the attack, the condition of the vessel or the welfare of the people aboard it.
The vessel was identified by United States Central Command as the M/V Huda, registered under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
American military officials say an aircraft fired precision munitions at the vessel after warnings were issued.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre also recorded an incident involving a bulk carrier and military forces east of Khor Fakkan in the Gulf of Oman.
Its advisory stated that the crew’s condition, damage assessment and environmental impact were unknown at the time.
That is precisely why the incident demands greater transparency.
Where is the crew?
Were people injured? Was anyone evacuated? What cargo was the vessel carrying? Who owns the ship? Has an independent inspection established the extent of the damage?
The American military has offered its explanation of the operation. But an official statement is not a substitute for independent verification.
There is also a serious legal question.
What international legal authority supports the blockade? Under what rules may commercial vessels be intercepted or disabled? What evidence established that this particular vessel had violated the applicable restrictions?
Who authorised the use of force?
What assessment was made of the danger to civilian crew members?
Were alternative measures considered before weapons were fired?
The United States must publish the relevant legal justification and provide an account of the decision making process.
This incident cannot be examined in isolation from the wider danger facing commercial shipping in the region.
The International Maritime Organization reported on November 6 that at least 130 attacks on commercial vessels had been verified since the conflict began, with at least 25 seafarers killed.
Those figures are already alarming.
Commercial seafarers are not responsible for the political and military confrontation surrounding them. They should not become disposable casualties in a struggle over regional power and control of shipping routes.
The responsibility for protecting civilian shipping applies to every party involved.
The United States must explain its own military actions. Iran must also account for any unlawful attacks or threats against commercial vessels.
The flag state of the M/V Huda must establish the vessel’s condition and the welfare of its crew.
The international maritime authorities must investigate the incident and make the findings available.
This is not about defending one government against another. It is about the protection of civilian lives and the lawful use of military power.
A military operation cannot be declared justified simply because the government conducting it says it issued warnings.
Who authorised the attack? What evidence justified the use of force? Where are the crew members, and who will independently establish what happened?
The world deserves answers.
Viewers Corner News believes that military power must remain subject to law, evidence and accountability, regardless of which country exercises it.
By Viewers Corner News