THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Tuesday that two UAE oil tankers were struck by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, with one crew member killed, while the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that a separate vessel was hit by an unidentified projectile off the coast of Oman, amid the escalation of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a statement released by UAE's Ministry of Defense, the attack on the two UAE oil tankers occurred when the tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were transiting the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz.
The attack killed an Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa and injured eight others, including four seriously wounded. The injured comprise six Indian nationals and two Ukrainian nationals.
The ministry said the attack also caused material damage to both tankers after fires broke out on board. The fires have since been brought under control.
The Ministry of Defense strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a serious violation of international law and said it remains fully prepared to deal with any threats.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement on the same day, emphasizing that targeting commercial shipping and utilizing the Strait of Hormuz as an instrument of economic coercion or blackmail is unacceptable. The ministry warned that such actions pose a direct threat to regional stability, as well as to global energy and trade security.
In a separate incident, an oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the waters off Oman on Monday, according to the UKMTO's latest incident report.
According to the UKMTO, the incident occurred approximately 40 nautical miles, or around 74 kilometers, northeast of Oman's Qalhat.
Citing a report from the vessel's captain, the UKMTO stated that the projectile struck the starboard side of the ship's engine room. All crew members aboard this vessel were reported safe, and there have been no reports of environmental pollution or oil spills resulting from the impact.
