Abu Dhabi: An attack in the Strait of Hormuz killed one Indian crew member and wounded eight others after two UAE-flagged oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence said.
The ministry identified the vessels as Mombasa and Al Bahiyah and said they were hit while transiting the southern lane of the strait within Omani territorial waters. The Indian seafarer who died was aboard the Mombasa.
Of the eight injured, four sustained serious injuries. Six of the wounded were Indian nationals and two were Ukrainian, the ministry added.
Both strikes sparked fires and inflicted heavy damage on the tankers, officials said, though crew members were able to extinguish the blazes, averting a larger catastrophe in one of the world’s busiest shipping channels, Reuters reported.
The UAE denounced the strikes as a serious breach of international law and warned that it reserved the right to respond. “The UAE remains fully prepared to confront any threat and respond decisively to actions that undermine regional stability,” the ministry said.
UAE Denounces Strike
In a post on X, the defence ministry said: “The Ministry of Defence condemned this blatant attack, which is considered a serious violation and a clear breach of international law that threatens the security and stability of the region. The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents, in a manner that safeguards its sovereignty, security, and stability, and protects its national interests.”
It added: “it remains on the highest level of readiness and preparedness to address any threats, and that it is taking all necessary measures to respond decisively to any attempt to undermine the security and stability of the country.”
The incident comes as tensions in the Gulf rise amid a broader confrontation between the United States and Iran, with the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea — again at the center of the standoff.
