UAE says Iranian missiles hit its tankers in Strait of Hormuz, one Indian killed
New Delhi: An Indian crew member was killed and eight others injured after two tankers flagged to the United Arab Emirates were struck by missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE Ministry of Defence said early Tuesday. The ministry blamed Iranian cruise missiles for the attack.
The tankers, identified as Mombasa and Bahia, were targeted in the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz, within Omani territorial waters, according to the UAE defence ministry. One crew member aboard the Mombasa, an Indian national, died, while eight others sustained injuries, including four with serious injuries. The injured include six Indian nationals and two Ukrainian nationals.
The attack triggered fires on both vessels, causing material damage. The fires were later brought under control, the ministry said. The UAE condemned the incident as a 'serious violation and a clear breach of international law' and reserved the right to respond to protect its territory, people, and interests.
Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian forces had targeted several 'violating' vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. State broadcaster IRIB cited an unnamed military source saying the navy fired cruise missiles at a 'hostile vessel of the American enemy.'
The incident occurs amid heightened tensions in the strategic waterway, through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes. The United States recently launched a new round of strikes against Iran, with US Central Command saying the operations aimed to degrade Tehran's ability to attack civilian vessels and commercial shipping. President Donald Trump announced a blockade on Iranian shipping and a 20 per cent fee on eligible cargo passing through the strait to compensate for security costs, effective Tuesday.
