Indian Crew Member Killed, 8 Injured as Iran Missiles Hit UAE Tankers in Strait of Hormuz

This incident follows Iran’s claims of targeting US military facilities with drones and missile strikes in the region, contributing to rising tensions in this vital maritime route.

The United Arab Emirates has accused Iran of carrying out a missile attack on two UAE-flagged oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, killing one Indian crew member and injuring eight others. In a statement on Monday, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the vessels were struck by two Iranian cruise missiles in the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, in Omani territorial waters.

The ministry said one Indian crew member was killed and eight others were wounded, including four who were seriously injured. It added that fires broke out on both tankers but had since been brought under control. Among the eight injured are six Indians and two Ukrainians, according to the statement.

The UAE condemned the attack as a “serious breach of international law” and said it retained “its full right to respond and take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security.”

The incident came after Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that the country’s navy had fired cruise missiles at what it described as a “hostile vessel of the American enemy”, citing an unnamed military source.

IRIB also reported attacks across the Gulf region as tensions continued to escalate beyond Iran’s borders. In a separate statement carried by the broadcaster, Iran’s military said it had launched drones targeting US military facilities in Kuwait, including a Patriot missile system. The reported exchange comes amid escalating military tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.

The latest strike came as the Donald Trump administration announced it would reinstate a naval blockade of Iranian ports. The US military said the blockade, which had previously been in effect from April until June, would resume late on Tuesday. Trump also declared that the United States would take control of the Strait of Hormuz and impose a 20% charge on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.

“The United States will control the Strait of Hormuz, and will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World,” he wrote on social media.

The proposal marks a significant shift, as US officials had previously maintained that international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz should remain free of tolls or fees.

This is a Developing Story and will be updated soon