Saudi Arabia says Iranian attack on tanker in Strait of Hormuz killed two Filipino sailors

Saudi Arabia has condemned what it said was an Iranian attack on a Saudi-owned supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz that killed two Filipino sailors. The vessel, Sidr, was travelling through the waterway on Monday night when it was hit, according to the Saudi national shipping company Bahri. Maritime security firms said the tanker was struck north of Oman's Musandam Peninsula, in one of the world's most sensitive shipping lanes.

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Bahri said the incident happened at about 23:40 local time on Monday, or 19:40 GMT. The company said Sidr was involved in a security incident while transiting the strait, and later confirmed the deaths of two of its Filipino seafarers. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said the kingdom condemned Iran's targeting of the tanker while it was in the Strait of Hormuz, and called for an end to escalation and respect for the security of international navigation.

A South Korean-owned supertanker, Senegal Prosperity, was also reportedly struck east of Musandam around the same time. Iran has not responded to the Saudi allegation. Earlier, however, Tehran said two tankers had caught fire after hitting mines while using an unauthorised route through the strait, offering a different account of the shipping incidents.

The attack matters because the Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy shipments and a focal point in wider regional tensions. Any disruption there can quickly affect commercial shipping, insurance costs and the movement of oil and gas. The Saudi statement also linked the incident to broader concerns about attacks on neighbouring states and the safety of international navigation.

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The incident came after a major exchange of fire between the United States and Iran, with US air strikes on Iran and Iranian missile and drone attacks on US bases in neighbouring Arab states. Iran's health minister said 18 people were killed and 108 injured in the US attacks, while Tehran accused Washington of a war crime over a strike in the southern city of Sirik that killed four people, including two children. The US military said it was looking into the reports.

What remains unclear is who carried out the attack on Sidr and whether the strike on Senegal Prosperity was part of the same incident. It is also not clear whether the damage was caused by projectiles, mines or another weapon. The next developments to watch are any response from Iran, further details from maritime investigators, and whether shipping through the strait is further affected.

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