Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian attack on tanker in Strait of Hormuz

Saudi Arabia has condemned an Iranian attack on an oil tanker owned by its national shipping company that resulted in the deaths of two crew members from the Philippines. The attack occurred while the Sidr tanker, owned by national carrier Bahri, was transiting the Strait of Hormuz on August 31, 2026. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry stated that Iran targeted the vessel and emphasized the need to halt escalations and respect international maritime safety and the security of global energy supplies. Regional neighbors, including Kuwait and Qatar, also condemned the attack, stating it violated international law and freedom of maritime navigation. Qatar described the incident as a "flagrant violation" and rejected the use of the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip. Bahri confirmed the incident on social media, stating it was in continuous contact with the vessel and coordinating with relevant authorities. Iran has a history of attacking and threatening tankers in the region, impacting energy exports from Gulf countries. The US has asserted that vessels can safely transit the waterway and has promised to continue its counter-blockade of Iranian ports. On the same night as the attack, unidentified projectiles struck two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Greek maritime risk management firm Marisks. Both vessels had loaded two million barrels of crude at Juaymah on Saudi Arabia’s east coast. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later reported that two oil tankers caught fire after striking mines while transiting the strait. Prior to the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran, approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz. In July, another Bahri vessel, the Wedyan supertanker, was also hit while passing through the strait near Oman’s coast, and two other Bahri vessels were attacked in the Red Sea following a naval blockade declared by Yemen’s Houthis against Saudi Arabia.