Qatar's Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's deputy ambassador for clarification after the missile attack on a Qatari LNG tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Israeli media reports.
Qatar escalated its diplomatic response to the missile attack on its LNG tanker on Tuesday evening, summoning Iran's deputy ambassador for clarification, according to Israeli media reports. The move comes hours after Doha formally condemned the attack and held Tehran fully responsible, as The Zioneer reported at 15:45 Jerusalem, and follows a series of escalations throughout the day. The summoning of a senior Iranian diplomat marks a rare public rebuke by the gas-rich emirate, which has historically maintained channels with Tehran.
The attack on the Qatari-flagged tanker ‘Al-Rakiat’ (also identified as ‘Al-Rayyat’ by the Wall Street Journal) was first reported early Tuesday, when The Zioneer noted that the IRGC had fired at least two missiles, hitting the tanker and setting its engine room ablaze. Within hours, corroboration grew: the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a missile strike, US sources confirmed a second vessel was hit, and the IRGC acknowledged attacking both a Saudi and a Qatari tanker. Iran’s government formally took responsibility, and Reuters later reported that the tanker remained in danger of exploding due to the engine room fire. Doha’s initial condemnation came early Tuesday, and at 15:45 Jerusalem it issued a stronger statement calling the attack an act of aggression.
The strike on the Qatari tanker is part of a broader pattern of Iranian ballistic missile attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, as The Zioneer has reported. The incident follows the breakdown of indirect U.S.-Iran peace talks, and President Trump’s threat to ‘finish the job’ if no deal is reached, as noted in earlier reporting. Qatar, a major LNG exporter, has traditionally maintained diplomatic ties with Tehran, making the summoning a significant departure.
Iran has not formally responded to the summoning. The status of the damaged tanker, which was reported to be at risk of exploding, remains unclear. The full extent of the damage to the two other commercial vessels struck in the attack has not been confirmed.
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