UAE condemns Iran's 'brazen' attack on tankers as US launches fresh strikes
Image: BBC News
One missile strike in the world's most important oil channel has left a tanker crew dead, a region on edge, and the US promising to hit back "very hard."
The United Arab Emirates says Iran launched a "brazen" cruise-missile attack on two national tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, killing an Indian crew member and wounding eight others — six Indian and two Ukrainian. Tehran says the vessels ignored warnings and tried to sail a mined route.
The Strait carries a fifth of global oil. Iran's Revolutionary Guard confirmed the strikes, warning that "co-operation with the aggressor enemy" would only bring "an energy crisis in the world." The clash threatens to derail fragile efforts to end the wider war.
US President Donald Trump said the US was hitting Iran "very hard" with strikes for a third straight night, and announced a 20% charge as part of a new blockade on the waterway. Iran's foreign minister shot back that Tehran would remain the Strait's "GUARDIAN."
The UAE's defence ministry called the attack "a serious violation and a clear breach of international law, threatening the security and stability of the region."
With both sides escalating and shipping already disrupted, the risk of a broader conflict — and a fresh spike in energy prices — keeps climbing.