UAE state oil company says vessel attacked in Hormuz strait

The United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil company ADNOC said Saturday that one of its vessels was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident is the latest in the waterway at the centre of the ongoing US-Iran conflict, with no injuries reported.

Was an ADNOC vessel attacked in the Strait of Hormuz?

Yes. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company confirmed that one of its vessels was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on the evening of Friday, August 14, according to the official WAM news agency. No injuries were reported, and ADNOC stressed the importance of protecting seafarers and safeguarding freedom of navigation and maritime security.

Why is Iran targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran has imposed an effective blockade of the strait, a vital shipping route for global energy supplies, and has carried out strikes on commercial vessels since the war began in February. Tehran has said it wants to charge users for passage through the strait, a demand Washington fiercely opposes. Continued attacks have led to the collapse of an April ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

How has the UAE responded to the attacks?

UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said the Gulf state would defend its rights to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. "The repeated targeting of ADNOC tankers will not deter the UAE from pursuing a balanced and prudent policy based on the three pillars of deterrence, diplomacy, and adherence to international law," he wrote on X. He added that the UAE would work to strengthen a unified Gulf position to protect regional security and the interests of member states.

The latest attack came a day after the UAE accused Iran of attacking two vessels linked to ADNOC as they passed through the strait. The UAE foreign ministry condemned what it called a "hostile Iranian attack" on the vessels and reported no injuries. Last week, ADNOC said three of its tankers had been attacked in the waterway, while the foreign ministry separately reported an attack on another ADNOC tanker a day later.

What would it take to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

A June deal, meant to serve as a starting point for negotiations on a permanent settlement, said Iran and Oman would work out future arrangements for the strait with other Gulf countries in line with applicable international law. Last week, Iranian official Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr set out conditions for fully reopening the strait. These include an end to what he described as war against Iran and its regional allies, the lifting of sanctions, and compensation for wartime damage.