Following the Iranian missile attack on two UAE oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday that killed an Indian crew member, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the vessels had ignored repeated warnings, switched off their navigation systems, and attempted to pass through what it described as a “mined route” despite instructions from Iranian forces.
In a statement carried by Iranian media, the IRGC also accused the United States of encouraging ships to use an “illegal route” through the strait. “The US is inciting vessels to use an illegal route,” it said, warning that cooperation with the “aggressor enemy” would lead to further damage, delays in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and a global energy crisis.
The IRGC’s remarks came after the United Arab Emirates confirmed that two of its oil tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were struck by Iranian cruise missiles while sailing in Omani territorial waters.
In a post on X, the UAE Ministry of Defense said, “The Ministry of Defence announces that the national tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, within Omani territorial waters.”
“The attack resulted in the death of one Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa tanker and the injury of eight others, including four who sustained serious injuries. The injured comprise six Indian nationals and two Ukrainian nationals. The attack also caused material damage to both tankers as a result of the fires that broke out on board, which have since been brought under control,” the ministry added.
The latest strike marks a significant escalation in tensions in the Gulf amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
A day earlier, US President Donald Trump reinstated a blockade on Iranian shipping and said Washington would take responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz while seeking a 20 per cent reimbursement on all cargo transiting the vital waterway. He also declared that the US would serve as the “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait” and said countries using the route should contribute to the cost of its protection.
Late on Monday, the US military said it had completed another wave of strikes on Iranian targets.
“During the five-hour mission, US forces successfully struck military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas,” the US Central Command said in a statement posted on X.
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