The United Arab Emirates condemned a hostile Iranian missile attack targeting a carrier linked to ADNOC while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday. No injuries were reported. Abu Dhabi accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of using the strait for economic coercion, calling the attack 'acts of piracy,' and demanded an immediate halt to hostilities and the unconditional reopening of the waterway.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement Saturday afternoon condemning what it described as a hostile Iranian missile attack on a carrier affiliated with ADNOC while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Abu Dhabi accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of using the strait for economic coercion, called the attack 'acts of piracy,' and demanded an immediate halt to hostilities and the unconditional reopening of the waterway. No injuries were reported.
The condemnation comes after a rapid sequence of reports earlier today (Sat 13:49 Jerusalem): initial reports of an attack on a UAE vessel, later identified as an ADNOC carrier; the UAE confirmed the strike and noted it was the fourth attack on UAE vessels this week; Saudi Arabia issued a condemnation without naming the perpetrator and then a second statement saying Iran appears to believe the kingdom will remain silent. The UAE's official statement today formalizes its position and escalates diplomatic pressure on Tehran.
As The Zioneer has reported in recent months, the Strait of Hormuz has been a flashpoint for Iranian maritime aggression. On Jun 25, a commercial ship was hit by a projectile; on Jun 11, the IRGC claimed strikes on two vessels for 'illegal crossing'; on Jun 25, the UN halted its escort mission after an IRGC drone strike on a merchant vessel. The EU imposed sanctions on an IRGC navy unit and two Iranians on Jun 8 over the strait closure. Gulf states and the EU jointly condemned attacks on Jul 18, and Saudi Arabia separately condemned strikes on its tankers and a Qatari vessel on Jul 7.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the United States have not yet commented on today's incident. The identity of the specific vessel targeted beyond its ADNOC affiliation remains unconfirmed by independent sources.
7 developments
- StrongOman condemns military strikes in Bahrain, Kuwait, and attacks on Saudi, Qatari merchant ships in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingInternational Maritime Organization condemns attacks on merchant ships in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingVessels continue transiting Omani shipping lane in Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian threats
- StrongOman affirms freedom of navigation in Strait of Hormuz, rejects any transit fees
Source and signal
- Open-source intake