Iranian attack on Saudi tanker killed two sailors, Saudi Arabia says

Saudi Arabia has unequivocally condemned what it described as a deliberate Iranian attack on a Saudi-owned supertanker on Monday night, an assault that tragically claimed the lives of two Filipino sailors. The devastating incident, which occurred in the vital Strait of Hormuz, has further escalated regional tensions and raised grave concerns for international maritime security and global energy supplies. The Saudi national shipping company, Bahri, confirmed on Wednesday that its vessel, the supertanker Sidr, was "involved in a security incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz." Maritime security firms later revealed that the Sidr was struck by projectiles north of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. In a chilling parallel, a South Korean-owned supertanker, the Senegal Prosperity, was reportedly struck by similar projectiles east of Musandam around the same time, underscoring the brazenness of the alleged Iranian aggression.

Iran has remained conspicuously silent in response to Saudi Arabia’s direct accusation. However, prior to the Saudi statement, Iranian authorities had offered a different narrative, suggesting that two tankers had caught fire after hitting mines while navigating an "unauthorised route" through the strategically crucial strait. This conflicting account further muddies the waters and fuels suspicion surrounding Iran’s potential involvement.

The tragic news of the sailors’ deaths emerged in the wake of a significant and dangerous escalation between the United States and Iran. The US military had just carried out a wave of retaliatory air strikes on targets within Iran and Iranian forces, in turn, retaliated by targeting US bases in neighboring Arab states with a barrage of missiles and drones. This exchange represented the most intense military confrontation between the two nations since July, creating a volatile environment in which such an attack on commercial shipping could occur.

On Wednesday, Iran’s health minister reported that 18 people had been killed and 108 injured as a direct result of the US attacks. Iran has vehemently accused the United States of committing a "war crime," particularly over a strike that allegedly killed four people, including two children, at a wedding party in the southern city of Sirik. The US military has stated that it is currently investigating these reports, but the accusations highlight the deep animosity and mistrust that permeates the region.

Bahri’s official statement detailed that the unspecified "security incident" affecting the Sidr occurred in the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 23:40 local time on Monday, which corresponds to 19:40 GMT. The company expressed its profound sorrow, stating, "It is with profound sadness that Bahri confirms the loss of two of its Filipino seafarers as a result of the incident." The statement continued, extending "its deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to their families, loved ones, and colleagues during this difficult time."

Following Bahri’s confirmation, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strong statement, expressing the kingdom’s absolute condemnation of "Iran’s targeting of the Saudi tanker (Sidr) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz." The ministry did not stop at condemning the attack on the Sidr; it also explicitly condemned recent Iranian attacks on Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, underscoring the perceived pattern of Iranian aggression. The statement stressed the "need to halt escalation and respect the security and safety of international navigation," as well as the paramount importance of protecting global energy supplies, national sovereignty, and upholding international law.

These official statements were released a day after maritime risk management and intelligence firms, Marisks and Kpler, had reported that two tankers, each laden with two million barrels of Saudi crude oil, were struck by unknown projectiles within minutes of each other as they transited outbound through the Strait of Hormuz late on Monday. According to Marisks, the Sidr was hit by "unknown projectiles" at 19:52 GMT, approximately 16 nautical miles (30km) north-east of Khasab, Oman. The Senegal Prosperity was reportedly struck by "three unknown projectiles" about 17 nautical miles east of Khasab. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also corroborated these reports, confirming two separate incidents in the same geographical locations.

Adding another layer to the complex narrative, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) released a statement on Wednesday claiming that two oil tankers, acting "at the urging of the US military to transit via an illegal route" in the Strait of Hormuz, had struck mines and subsequently exploded. The IRGC statement asserted that the vessels were "currently on fire." While the US military has not directly commented on the IRGC’s claims, it reiterated that its recent strikes on Iran were a response to "recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members."

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass daily, has been a focal point of international concern. The strait has been effectively closed for significant periods since the commencement of the war between the US and Israel and Iran in February. This closure was attributed to a combination of Iranian missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels and a US blockade of Iranian ports. In June, the US and Iran had reached a preliminary agreement to end the conflict and reopen the strait, but this accord collapsed within weeks. The collapse was attributed to the resumption of Iranian attacks on shipping and the subsequent reinstatement of the US blockade.

Iran has consistently maintained its stance, asserting that it will not relinquish a measure of control over this vital waterway. The nation has been accused of targeting vessels that use a southern route through Omani waters, which circumvents Iran’s preferred transit route through Iranian territorial waters. Despite the ongoing incidents and accusations of Iranian aggression, US President Donald Trump has publicly declared that the strait is "open," and the US military has been actively engaged in assisting ships in navigating the southern route. In a notable development, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright reported on Monday that a record 17 million barrels of oil had flowed through the Strait of Hormuz by ship on that single day, the highest daily total recorded since the start of the war. This stark contrast between the official declarations of openness and the reality of ongoing attacks highlights the precarious and dangerous situation in this vital global shipping lane. The incident involving the Saudi supertanker Sidr serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of these geopolitical tensions and the persistent threats to international maritime commerce.