Abu Dhabi, 14 July 2026 (Xinhua) — The UAE Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that one crew member was killed and eight others were injured after the two Emirati tankers “Mombasa” and “Al Bahia” were hit by two Iranian cruise missiles while sailing in the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz inside Omani territorial waters.
The attack also caused two fires and left material damage on both vessels, the ministry said.
Casualties and damage
According to the ministry’s statement, the deceased was an Indian national serving aboard the tanker “Mombasa”. Of the eight injured, four were said to have sustained serious injuries. The ministry added that the injured include six Indian nationals and two Ukrainians.
Specialist teams managed to bring the fires under control, it said, while confirming that the ships had suffered material damage.
UAE response
The Ministry of Defence condemned the attack, describing it as “a serious violation and a clear breach of international law and a threat to the security and stability of the region”.
It said the United Arab Emirates “retains its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its people and residents, in a way that safeguards its sovereignty, security and stability and protects its interests and national assets”.
The ministry also stressed that the UAE armed forces are in a state of readiness and preparedness to deal with any threats, adding that they are taking all necessary measures to confront firmly anything that seeks to undermine the country’s security and stability.
US remarks
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said on social media that the United States would reimpose a naval blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and would impose a 20 per cent tariff on all goods transported through the strategic waterway.
US media reported that Trump formally informed Congress on Friday that the United States had resumed military operations against Iran.