ABU DHABI/CAIRO — Tensions have escalated again in the Strait of Hormuz after the United Arab Emirates said an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company vessel came under attack while transiting the strategic waterway on Friday, according to the Emirati state news agency. The company said no injuries were reported and that the situation was under control. The incident marks the third reported attack involving an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company vessel in less than a week, with Abu Dhabi also blaming Iran for the previous incidents. The UAE Foreign Ministry called on Tehran to halt what it described as unprovoked attacks, end hostilities and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said Abu Dhabi would defend its sovereignty and national interests while continuing to support freedom of navigation and prioritising diplomatic options. Separately, the United Kingdom’s maritime trade operations agency said it had received a report that a bulk carrier was struck by an unidentified projectile in the strait on Friday, although it was not immediately clear whether the vessel was the same one involved in the reported attack on the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ship. Iran did not immediately comment on the allegations. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, with roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passing through the narrow waterway before the conflict. Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran on February 28, commercial shipping through the strait has faced repeated disruption, driving up freight costs and security concerns and adding uncertainty to global energy markets. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have previously warned that vessels linked to Tehran’s adversaries or those failing to comply with Iranian directives could face action while transiting the strait. The latest incident is likely to deepen concerns over maritime security and raise the risk of a wider escalation across the Gulf. Any prolonged disruption to the waterway could also have significant consequences for global oil and gas supplies, shipping costs and energy prices. However, the precise nature of the reported attack, the weapon used and the extent of Iran’s direct involvement have not been independently verified
Source: Reuters
Abu Dhabi blames Iran for attack on Emirati oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz
