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The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence announced early on July 14 that two national oil tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles in the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz, within Omani territorial waters. The announcement came as another round of United States strikes hit the Islamic Republic.
The attack resulted in the death of one crew member aboard the Mombasa, an Indian national, and injuries to eight others, including four who sustained serious injuries, the ministry said in a statement, adding that the injured comprise six Indian nationals and two Ukrainian nationals.
The attack also caused material damage to both tankers due to fires that broke out on board. The fires have since been brought under control.
The ministry condemned the attack as a serious breach of international law and said the UAE retains its full right to respond and take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security.
Earlier, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several “violating” vessels were targeted in the Strait of Hormuz without elaborating.
The reports of the attack on the two tankers emerged as the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it was launching another round of strikes against Iran.
“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,” the command said in a statement.
Explosions rocked southern and southeastern Iran, with blasts heard in Bandar Abbas, Kish Island, Konarak, Chabahar, Dashtiari, and Larak.
Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump openly declared that the U.S. would strike Iran hard that night and the following day.
“We’re going to hit them very hard tonight and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow — and there’s not a damn thing they can do about it,” he said in an interview with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt. “They have nothing. They have nothing going other than they have big mouths.”
Trump downplayed the importance of the memorandum of understanding that he signed last month with Iran to permanently end the war between the two countries, saying it was just a “test” which did not mean very much because the U.S. is dealing with dishonorable “sleaze bags” who did not adhere to its terms.
There are already reports of Iranian retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf, although there are still no details or official announcements.
This is the third consecutive night the U.S. and Iran have exchanged strikes. The escalation could soon lead to the collapse of the memorandum of understanding. Trump has already reinstated the blockade on the Islamic Republic, and his recent remarks indicate that he no longer considers the deal to be alive.
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