Saudi Arabia has denounced what it describes as an Iranian assault on a Saudi-owned supertanker on Monday evening, which resulted in the deaths of two Filipino sailors.
The state-owned shipping enterprise, Bahri, verified on Wednesday that its vessel, Sidr, encountered a security incident while navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
According to maritime security companies, Sidr was struck by projectiles north of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. Approximately the same time, the South Korean-owned tanker Senegal Prosperity was reportedly hit east of Musandam.
Tehran has yet to address the Saudi accusation. However, Iran previously asserted that two tankers caught fire after striking mines while utilizing an unauthorized passage through the strait.
The announcement of the sailors’ deaths followed a significant escalation, as the US military conducted a series of airstrikes on Iran, and Iranian forces subsequently targeted US bases in neighboring Arab states using missiles and drones—marking the largest exchange of fire since July.
Bahri’s statement specified that the unspecified “security incident” affecting Sidr occurred in the Strait of Hormuz at approximately 23:40 local time (19:40 GMT) on Monday.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two of our Filipino seafarers as a result of this incident,” Bahri added. “Our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies go out to their families, loved ones, and colleagues during this devastating time.”
Subsequently, the Saudi foreign ministry voiced the kingdom’s condemnation of “Iran’s targeting of the Saudi tanker Sidr while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”
The ministry also denounced the recent Iranian attacks on Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, emphasizing “the necessity to halt the escalation and respect the security and safety of international navigation,” along with the security of global energy supplies, national sovereignty, and international law.
The statements were issued a day after maritime risk management and intelligence firms Marisks and Kpler reported that two tankers, each loaded with two million barrels of Saudi crude oil, were struck by unknown projectiles within minutes of each other as they transited outbound through the Strait of Hormuz late Monday.
According to Marisks, Sidr was hit by “unknown projectiles” at 19:52 GMT roughly 16 nautical miles (30km) northeast of Khasab, Oman, while Senegal Prosperity was struck by “three unknown projectiles” about 17 nautical miles east of Khasab.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also recorded two incidents in these exact locations.