Iranians essentially block the strait and often attack commercial ships, and they also want to charge users for sailing through this waterway, which the US strongly opposes.
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The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it called a “hostile Iranian attack” targeting two vessels associated with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). It added that there were no reports of injuries.
ADNOC confirmed that on Thursday evening “two of its vessels were attacked while sailing” through the Strait of Hormuz, and added that the situation was under control, reported the official news agency WAM.
On Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office reported two identical Thursday incidents involving drone strikes on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, causing minor damage to the ships but avoiding casualties.
It is unclear whether these are the same vessels associated with ADNOC.
“UKMTO received reports from military authorities that a tanker was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while sailing from the Strait of Hormuz. The ship sustained minor damage, the crew is reported safe, and no environmental impact has been reported,” the statements said.
Last week, ADNOC announced that three of its tankers were attacked in the strait, and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reported an attack on an ADNOC tanker the following day.
Due to ongoing attacks in the strait, which was freely navigable until the war in the Middle East began in February, the ceasefire between the US and Iran agreed in April collapsed.
The June agreement, which was supposed to be a starting point for negotiations on a permanent solution, stated that Iran and Oman, which also borders this waterway, would discuss the future management of the strait with other Persian Gulf countries and “in accordance with applicable international law.”
Last week, Iran’s security chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr presented a list of conditions for reopening the strait, including an end to “war and aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq.”
He also demanded the lifting of the US Navy blockade of Iranian ports, the end of sanctions, the unblocking of frozen assets, and compensation for war damages, according to reports from the Tasnim news agency.
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