The United Arab Emirates announced that two of its oil tankers were struck by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, killing one crew member. Iran has reportedly taken responsibility for the attack.
The United Arab Emirates announced this morning that two of its oil tankers were hit by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, killing a crew member. In the hours since, Iran has reportedly taken responsibility for the attack, according to the announcement. The incident marks a dangerous escalation in the Gulf, as the US and Iran remain locked in direct military strikes.
The story unfolded rapidly overnight. At 01:22 Jerusalem, the UAE Defense Ministry confirmed the strike, initially reporting explosions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. By 01:22, the ministry had identified the tankers as 'Mombasa' and 'Al-Bahiya', confirmed one Indian crew member killed and eight wounded, four seriously, and condemned the attack as a grave violation of international law. The i24NEWS reported that Iran claimed the missile launch was in response to American strikes. The UAE later named the tankers and provided details on the crew, including six Indians and two Ukrainians.
The Zioneer reported earlier that the US military completed a five-hour wave of strikes on Iran overnight, as part of an ongoing campaign. The Zioneer has also reported on previous US strikes on Iranian targets and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker attack is the latest in a series of escalating confrontations in the Gulf.
It remains unclear whether Iran's reported responsibility came through an official statement or a media channel, and whether the strike was directly linked to the US strikes or part of a broader strategy. The full extent of casualties and damage is still being assessed.
10 developments
- StrongIran used short-range missiles in Strait of Hormuz tanker attacks, US official says
- StrongIRGC claims fatal tanker attack, warns against US cooperation in Strait of Hormuz
- StrongIran launches ballistic missiles at ships in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingBritish tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz, Iranian-linked source says
Source and signal
- Internal intake