Two Filipino crew members killed as Riyadh denounces strike on national shipping vessel amid escalating regional tensions.
Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned an Iranian attack on one of its oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz that killed two Filipino seafarers, calling for an immediate halt to escalations that threaten international maritime security and global energy supplies.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said Iran targeted the Sidr tanker, owned by the kingdom’s national shipping company Bahri, while it was transiting the strategic waterway late on Monday. The attack resulted in the deaths of two members of the crew.
“The Kingdom condemns Iran’s targeting of the Saudi tanker Sidr while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in fatalities among the tanker’s crew,” the ministry said. It also denounced Iranian attacks on Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, expressing full solidarity with those countries and support for measures they take to protect their security and sovereignty.
Saudi Arabia Urges Calm After Tanker Attack:
Saudi Arabia stressed the urgent need to stop the escalation and to respect the security and safety of international navigation, the security of global energy supplies, the principles of good neighbourliness, state sovereignty, the United Nations Charter, and international law and norms. The kingdom called on all parties to exercise restraint, cease hostilities, respect international law and return to negotiations and peaceful solutions.
Bahri, the state-owned shipping firm, confirmed that the Sidr was involved in a “security incident” while passing through the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 11:40pm local time on Monday. The company said it remained in continuous contact with the vessel and was coordinating closely with relevant authorities and maritime stakeholders. Two Filipino crew members were killed in the attack.
Maritime security firms reported that the Sidr, a very large crude carrier loaded with Saudi oil, was struck by projectiles near Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. A second tanker was also hit in the same area around the same time. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s oil trade normally passes, has become a flashpoint amid the broader conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel that began in February.
Tanker Attacks Raise Gulf Security Concerns:
The latest incident forms part of a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the waterway in recent months. Saudi Arabia has previously condemned similar strikes on its tankers and those of other Gulf states, holding Iran fully responsible and warning that such actions undermine regional stability and the free flow of energy supplies.
Regional neighbours, including Kuwait and Qatar, also condemned the attack on the Sidr as a violation of international law and freedom of navigation. The incident comes as tensions remain high across the Gulf, with Iran launching missile and drone attacks on US bases and allied territories, and the United States conducting retaliatory strikes.
Saudi officials reiterated that continued attacks on commercial shipping are unacceptable and pose a direct threat to the global economy. The kingdom urged all parties to prioritise de-escalation and the protection of critical maritime routes that are vital to international trade and energy security.