Deadly Strike on Saudi Supertanker in Strait of Hormuz Escalates Gulf Tensions

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has officially condemned a reported Iranian military strike on the national oil supertanker Sidr while the vessel was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, an incident that resulted in the deaths of two Filipino crew members.

The attack, which occurred late Monday night, has severely heightened maritime and geopolitical strains across the region. According to statements from the Saudi national shipping company Bahri and maritime risk management entities, the vessel was struck by projectiles north of Oman's Musandam Peninsula, triggering fires and a critical security emergency.

The Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers and shipping officials confirmed the fatalities of the two Filipino seafarers, prompting deep international concern over the safety of commercial transit corridors.

While Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps asserted that tankers caught fire after striking mines along unauthorized maritime paths, Riyadh and regional allies have denounced the action as a direct threat to international navigation and global energy supplies. The escalation follows a renewed series of exchanges between Washington and Tehran, further destabilizing critical energy shipping routes that remain vital to global trade.