RIYADH — Saudi Arabia condemned an Iranian attack on a Saudi-owned oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday that killed two crew members.
The supertanker Sidr, operated by Saudi national shipping firm Bahri, was struck at approximately 11:40 p.m. local time (20:40 GMT) while exiting the narrow chokepoint. Bahri confirmed on Wednesday that two Filipino seafarers lost their lives in the incident.
The Sidr was one of two vessels carrying Saudi crude targeted by projectiles off the coast of Oman late Monday. The attack comes amidst heightened regional tensions following threats from Tehran to disrupt unapproved commercial traffic through the vital maritime corridor, which historically carries about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.
In a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia called for an immediate halt to escalations and urged all parties to respect international maritime safety and global energy security. Bahri stated it remains in continuous contact with the vessel and is coordinating with relevant maritime authorities.
The strike follows a string of security incidents involving Saudi vessels in key regional waterways, including an attack on the supertanker Wedyan in the Strait of Hormuz in July and attacks on two other Bahri ships, Masa and Amzan, in the Red Sea.
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