The Saudi national shipping company Bahri announced that its vessel, the supertanker Sidr, was struck by projectile fire north of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, resulting in the death of two Filipino crew members. Saudi officials condemned the alleged Iranian attack, calling it a deliberate targeting of a civilian ship while the tanker was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Maritime security firms Marisks and Kpler reported that the Sidr was hit around 19:52 GMT, roughly 30 km north‑east of Khasab. The same window saw the South‑Korean‑owned tanker Senegal Prosperity struck by three projectiles about 17 nautical miles east of Khasab. Both incidents occurred after a period of heightened tensions, with U.S. forces launching strikes on Iran and the IRGC retaliating with missiles and drones against U.S. bases.
The Iran‑Saudi clash follows an earlier wave of Iranian attacks that caused two tankers to catch fire after hitting mines while using an unauthorized route through the strait. At the same time the U.S. has reaffirmed that the channel remains open, guiding ships along the southern Omani route to avoid Iranian-controlled waters.
In a statement, Bahri expressed profound sorrow for the loss of the Filipino seafarers, offering condolences to their families. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry echoed the condemnation, urging all parties to cease escalatory acts and respect international maritime law and the security of global energy supplies.
Officials on both sides remain silent as the situation unfolds, but the incident signals an alarming spike in the violence that threatens one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes. The death toll and the strategic location of the attack underscore the urgent need for renewed diplomatic efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz for safe passage of vessels.
