WASHINGTON: Indian officials say their navy has deployed two warships to the Gulf of Oman amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Indian navy spokesman Dalip Kumar Sharma says the ships Chennai and Sunayna have deployed to the Gulf of Oman to undertake maritime security operations, escort Indian merchant ships and "coordinate between stakeholders."

Indian military aircraft are also conducting aerial surveillance in the area.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has reached out to foreign leaders to convince them that the apparent attacks on the key Mideast shipping route is a problem for the world at large.