The UAE Defense Ministry reported that one Indian crew member was killed and eight others wounded, four seriously, after Iranian missiles struck two Emirati oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The ministry condemned the 'blatant attack' as a violation of international law and said the UAE reserves the right to respond. Fires on both vessels have been extinguished.
Just after 02:04 Jerusalem, the UAE Defense Ministry issued its formal condemnation of the Iranian missile strike on two Emirati oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, confirming one Indian crew member killed and eight wounded, four seriously. The ministry called the attack a "blatant violation" of international law and stated that the UAE reserves the right to respond, signaling a potential escalation.
The Zioneer first reported the attack at 01:30 Jerusalem, when the UAE confirmed that Iranian cruise missiles had struck the tankers Mombasa and Al-Bahia in Omani territorial waters. Initial reports at 01:22 Jerusalem had already indicated one dead and eight wounded, but the official statement at 02:04 provides the formal condemnation and the explicit reservation of the right to respond. The corroboration evolved from single-source reports to an official government statement.
The strike is the latest in a series of Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the strategic waterway, which The Zioneer has been covering extensively. Earlier on July 7, The Zioneer reported that Iran launched ballistic missiles at commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and that a US official said Iran used short-range missiles in tanker attacks overnight. Qatar also condemned an Iranian attack on its LNG tanker on July 7.
It remains unclear whether the UAE will take military action, despite reserving the right to respond. The Iranian claim that the missile launch was in response to American strikes, as reported by i24NEWS, has not been independently confirmed. The full extent of damage to the tankers and the condition of the wounded crew members are not yet known.
9 developments
- StrongIran used short-range missiles in Strait of Hormuz tanker attacks, US official says
- StrongIranian source: Shell hit cargo ship in Gulf of Oman, crew rescued
- StrongSaudi Arabia calls Iran's attacks on its tankers and Qatar's in Strait of Hormuz 'unacceptable'
- StrongOil tanker hit by gunfire off Oman coast, crew safe — UKMTO
Source and signal
- Internal intake