Indian national killed, eight others injured in Iranian strike on Emirati oil tanker: What we know

At least one Indian national aboard an Emirati oil tanker was killed, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday (local time), after Iranian cruise missiles targeted two national tankers while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X, the UAE's defence ministry wrote that Iranian cruise missiles hit two Emirati oil tankers identified as Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, while they were transiting the arterial waterway within Omani territorial waters. It added, "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 attack on Emirati tankers came as tensions between the United States and Iran escalated since last week, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. After the attack last week, US President Donald Trump declared that the ceasefire with Tehran was "over", with the US military launching strikes on targets in the Islamic Republic on 8 and 9 July.

UAE condemns attack on tankers

Condemning the attack on tankers, the UAE's defence ministry, in a post on X, wrote, "The Ministry of Defence condemned this blatant attack, which is considered a serious violation and a clear breach of international law that threatens the security and stability of the region. The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents, in a manner that safeguards its sovereignty, security, and stability, and protects its national interests."

It further said, "it remains on the highest level of readiness and preparedness to address any threats, and that it is taking all necessary measures to respond decisively to any attempt to undermine the security and stability of the country."

US-Iran tensions escalate, oil prices jump

The attack on Emirati tankers came as tensions between the US and Iran escalated since last week, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. After the attack last week, Trump declared that the ceasefire with Tehran was "over", with the US military launching strikes on targets in the Islamic Republic on 8 and 9 July.

Both Washington and Tehran are now eyeing control of the Strait of Hormuz, which was once responsible for a fifth of all crude oil and natural gas shipments during peacetime. The price of benchmark Brent crude oil jumped 7.8 per cent to $81.92 a barrel, still well below the nearly $120 reached at the height of the war but threatening to make costs everywhere higher, AP reported.

After trading strikes with Iran last week, the US Central Command announced that the strikes were complete; however, on 11 July, the US military launched a third round of strikes in Tehran after the IRGC announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz "until further notice" and attacked vessels that were transiting the waterway using an "unauthorised route". The US military hit roughly 140 targets on 11 July.

On 12 July, the US Central Command resumed strikes once again and, in a social media post, wrote, "These strikes will continue imposing a high cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz." Soon after, the US President told reporters in the Oval Office, "We're hitting them very hard. And it'll continue, and we'll see what happens," and added, "We're knocking out all of their offensive capability, and we're controlling the straits. We're putting the blockade back."

As Washington and Tehran continue to trade strikes over issues related to safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf countries and US allies are now bearing the brunt of the attacks. On Tuesday morning, Bahrain came under renewed attack and sounded its missile alert sirens, urging the public to seek shelter.

(with agency inputs)