Saudi Arabia condemns deadly tanker attack in Hormuz

Saudi Arabia condemned what it said was an Iranian attack on a Saudi-owned supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz that killed two Filipino sailors, escalating concerns over commercial shipping in one of the world’s most important energy corridors.

The Saudi national shipping company Bahri said Wednesday that its vessel Sidr was “involved in a security incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz” late Monday. The company confirmed the deaths of two crew members from the Philippines.

“It is with profound sadness that Bahri confirms the loss of two of its Filipino seafarers as a result of the incident,” the company said. “The company extends its deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to their families, loved ones, and colleagues during this difficult time.”

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry later said the kingdom condemned “Iran’s targeting of the Saudi tanker (Sidr) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.” The ministry said Riyadh stressed the “need to halt escalation and respect the security and safety of international navigation,” as well as the security of global energy supplies, national sovereignty and international law.

Iran has not directly responded to the Saudi allegation. Its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday that two oil tankers caught fire after striking mines while taking what it described as an illegal route through the strait at the urging of the U.S. military.

Maritime security and intelligence firms Marisks and Kpler reported that two tankers, each carrying about two million barrels of Saudi crude oil, were struck by unidentified projectiles within minutes of each other late Monday while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz. Marisks said Sidr was hit by “unknown projectiles” at 19:52 GMT about 16 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman. A South Korean-owned supertanker, Senegal Prosperity, was struck by “three unknown projectiles” about 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, the firm said. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also reported two incidents in the same areas.

Bahri said the incident involving Sidr occurred at about 23:40 local time Monday. The company said it remained in continuous contact with the vessel and was coordinating with authorities and maritime industry stakeholders while monitoring developments.

Regional governments also criticized the attack. Kuwait and Qatar said it violated international law and freedom of maritime navigation. Qatar called it a “flagrant violation of the rules of international law and freedom of maritime navigation” and rejected using the Strait of Hormuz as a “bargaining chip.”

The deaths were reported after the U.S. military carried out airstrikes on Iran and Iranian forces launched missiles and drones at U.S. bases in neighboring Arab states, in what the BBC described as the biggest exchange of fire between the two sides since July. Iran’s health minister said Wednesday that 18 people were killed and 108 injured in the U.S. attacks. Iran accused the United States of a “war crime” over a strike it said killed four people, including two children, at a wedding party in the southern city of Sirik. The U.S. military said it was looking into the reports.

The Strait of Hormuz usually carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments, though traffic has slowed during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran that began in February. The BBC reported that the waterway has effectively been closed since the start of the war because of Iranian missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels and a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

Despite the attacks, U.S. President Donald Trump has said the strait is “open,” and the U.S. military has been helping ships use a southern route. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said 17 million barrels of oil moved through the strait by ship on Monday, the highest daily total since the war began.