Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, Jul 14: An Indian national was killed and eight other crew members were injured after two United Arab Emirates oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday, amid escalating military tensions between the United States and Iran.
The tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were targeted while sailing through the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the attack killed one Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa and injured eight others. Of the injured, six were Indian nationals and two were Ukrainian nationals, while four sustained serious injuries.
The ministry said the missile strike also caused material damage to both vessels after fires broke out on board. The fires have since been brought under control.
Condemning the attack as a "blatant attack", the UAE said it reserved "its full right to respond to this escalation."
The ministry added that the country remained fully prepared to address any threats and would take all necessary measures to respond firmly to any attempt to undermine its security and stability.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the strike and extended condolences to the Government and people of India, as well as to the family of the deceased crew member. It wished the injured a speedy recovery.
The ministry called on Iran to immediately halt such attacks, cease all hostilities and ensure the complete and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard regional security and global trade.
It further said that targeting commercial shipping and using the strategic waterway as a tool of "economic coercion" or "blackmail" amounted to piracy and posed a direct threat to regional stability and global energy security.
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that it had struck and disabled two "offending" supertankers after they allegedly ignored repeated warnings, switched off their navigation systems and attempted to sail through what it described as a mined route. The IRGC did not identify the vessels or confirm whether it was referring to the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that a tanker travelling about 40 nautical miles northeast of Oman's Qalhat had been hit by an unidentified projectile.
According to the agency, the vessel's master reported that the projectile struck the starboard-side engine room, although all crew members were safe. It was not immediately clear whether the incident involved the same vessel reported by the UAE.
Elsewhere in the Gulf, missile warning sirens sounded twice across Bahrain early Tuesday after Iran launched retaliatory attacks following the latest round of US airstrikes. Bahraini authorities urged residents to remain calm, take shelter at the nearest safe location and follow official advisories. No casualties or damage were immediately reported.
The latest escalation came after the United States carried out a third consecutive night of strikes on Iran and President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping.
Trump also declared that the United States would ensure the Strait of Hormuz remained open while imposing charges for providing security in the strategic waterway. He warned that US forces would respond "very hard" to any further Iranian attacks.
Iran's top joint military command rejected the US position, stating that Washington had no authority to determine the future of the Strait of Hormuz and would not be allowed to interfere in its management.