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NEW DELHI: An Indian crew member was killed and eight others were injured after two UAE-flagged tankers were targeted by Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE ministry of defence said early Tuesday.The attack on the tankers Mombasa and Bahia took place in the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters, according to the UAE defence ministry.One crew member aboard the Mombasa, an Indian national, died in the strike, while eight others were injured, including four who suffered serious injuries.The injured included six Indian nationals and two Ukrainian nationals, the ministry said.“The national tankers (Mombasa) and (Bahia) were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles in the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters,” the UAE ministry of defence said in a statement.The attack also triggered fires onboard both vessels, causing material damage. The fires were later brought under control, the ministry said.The UAE condemned the incident as a “serious violation and a clear breach of international law”, warning that it reserved the right to respond and take necessary measures to protect its territory, people and national interests.“The state reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territories, people, and residents,” the ministry said.The UAE said it remained on high alert and urged the public to rely only on official sources for information.
Iran reports targeting vessels as Hormuz tensions rise
The incident comes amid escalating military tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints.Earlier, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several “violating” vessels had been targeted in the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces. Iranian state broadcaster IRIB also reported that the navy had fired cruise missiles at a “hostile vessel of the American enemy”, citing an unnamed military source.The latest escalation follows a series of US strikes on Iran and growing confrontation over control of the Strait of Hormuz.The US Central Command (Centcom) launched a new round of strikes against Iran on Monday, saying the operations were aimed at reducing Tehran’s ability to target civilian vessels and commercial shipping in the waterway.“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” Centcom said.US President Donald Trump had earlier announced that Washington was reinstating a blockade on Iranian shipping and said the US would charge a 20 per cent fee on eligible cargo passing through the strait to compensate for security costs.“We’re protecting a very rich portion of the world. We’re spending money. And so, what we’ve done is, we are going to be reimbursed for protection,” Trump said.The US military said the blockade would resume from Tuesday and apply to vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports, while allowing traffic not violating the restrictions to continue.
