Saudi Arabia has officially condemned an attack on the Saudi-owned supertanker Sidr, which occurred late Monday night while the vessel was navigating the Strait of Hormuz. The shipping company Bahri confirmed that the incident resulted in the deaths of two Filipino crew members.
Maritime intelligence firms, including Marisks and Kpler, reported that the Sidr was struck by unidentified projectiles at approximately 19:52 GMT, roughly 16 nautical miles off the coast of Oman. A second vessel, the South Korean-owned Senegal Prosperity, was reportedly hit by three projectiles in a similar location around the same time.
The Saudi foreign ministry issued a statement denouncing the targeting of the tanker and called for an immediate de-escalation to protect international navigation and global energy supplies. The ministry also criticized recent Iranian actions directed at Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
In contrast, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the tankers were damaged after striking mines while utilizing an unauthorized route. Iranian officials asserted that the vessels were operating at the behest of the U.S. military.
This maritime incident follows a period of heightened military activity in the region. The U.S. military recently conducted air strikes against Iranian targets, which Tehran claims resulted in 18 deaths and over 100 injuries. These exchanges represent the most significant escalation between the two nations since July, occurring against the backdrop of a broader conflict that has frequently disrupted traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Source: BBC News
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