Saudi Arabia has condemned what it described as an Iranian attack on a Saudi-owned supertanker that killed two Filipino sailors. The incident occurred on Monday night as the vessel, named Sidr, was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Bahri, Saudi Arabia's national shipping company, confirmed the deaths and stated that the supertanker was involved in a "security incident." Maritime security firms reported that the Sidr was struck by projectiles north of Oman's Musandam Peninsula. Approximately at the same time, a South Korean-owned supertanker, Senegal Prosperity, was reportedly struck east of Musandam.
Iran has not directly responded to the allegations of targeting the Saudi tanker. However, Iranian state media reported earlier that two tankers had caught fire after striking mines while navigating an unauthorized route through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the kingdom's condemnation of "Iran's targeting of the Saudi tanker (Sidr) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz." The ministry also condemned recent Iranian attacks on Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, emphasizing the necessity of de-escalation and respect for the safety of international navigation, global energy supplies, national sovereignty, and international law.
The confirmation of the sailors' deaths followed a period of increased exchanges between the U.S. military and Iranian forces. The U.S. had carried out air strikes on Iran, and Iranian forces targeted U.S. bases in neighboring Arab nations with missiles and drones, marking the most significant confrontation since July.
According to reports from maritime risk management firms Marisks and Kpler, both tankers were loaded with two million barrels of Saudi crude oil. The Sidr was reportedly hit by "unknown projectiles" at 19:52 GMT, approximately 16 nautical miles (30 km) northeast of Khasab, Oman. The Senegal Prosperity was struck by "three unknown projectiles" about 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, within minutes of each other as they transited outbound through the Strait of Hormuz late Monday.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also reported two incidents in the same geographical locations.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies, with approximately 20% of the world's oil passing through it annually. Alternative shipping routes, such as those suggested by Oman, the UN, and allied nations, run further south around the coast of Oman, while Iranian-designated lanes are located closer to the Iranian coast in the northern part of the strait.