Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of attacking the Sidr, a Saudi-owned supertanker operated by national shipping company Bahri, in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening. The vessel was struck by projectiles north of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, resulting in the deaths of two Filipino crew members. A South Korean-owned supertanker, Senegal Prosperity, was reportedly hit by multiple projectiles in the same vicinity around the same time, according to maritime security firms.
Iran has not directly responded to the Saudi allegations. Instead, Iranian officials stated that two tankers caught fire after striking mines while traveling through an unauthorized route in the strait. The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps claimed the vessels were transiting at US military direction via an illegal passage when they encountered the mines.
The incident occurred amid broader military tensions between the US and Iran. Earlier in the week, the US military conducted air strikes on Iran, prompting Iranian forces to respond with missiles and drones targeting US bases in neighboring Arab states. Iran’s health ministry reported 18 people killed and 108 injured in the US strikes. Iran has described one particular strike that killed four people, including two children at a wedding gathering in the southern city of Sirik, as a war crime. The US military indicated it was reviewing the allegations.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry condemned Iran’s actions against the Sidr and other recent Iranian attacks on Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. The statement emphasized the importance of halting escalation and preserving the safety of international shipping and global energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz, which handles approximately one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments, has faced severe disruptions since February due to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels and a US blockade of Iranian ports. A preliminary agreement reached in June to end hostilities and reopen the strait collapsed within weeks as Iranian attacks on shipping resumed.
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