Iran attacked two UAE supertanker vessels in the recent round of Iranian-US fighting. According to The National, the attack killed one sailor and injured eight people. The UAE is outraged, and other Gulf countries are lining up to back Abu Dhabi.
The killing comes after days of US airstrikes on Iran and Iranian attacks across the region. Iran began this round with attacks on vessels in the Gulf on July 6-7.
“The UAE Ministry of Defense said early on Tuesday that the Mombasa and Al Bahyah were struck by two Iranian cruise missiles in the south of the strait,” The National noted. “The targeting resulted in the death of one crew member of the tanker Mombasa, of Indian nationality, and the injury of eight others, including four serious injuries,” the ministry said. The two ships; Al Bahyah and Mombasa B “sustained significant damage in the attacks.” Iran also attacked the GFS Galaxy, a Cypriot-flagged vessel, on Saturday.
According to Al-Ain News in the UAE, the attack has also angered India. New Delhi summoned the Iranian ambassador after an Indian citizen was killed in Iran’s attacks. The Indian citizen was one of 30 Indian citizens out of 46 crew members on the two ships that were attacked.
Gulf solidarity is now emerging in an even larger way than before. While some countries want an agreement that will end the fighting, they are also outraged by Iran’s new attacks. Iran has purposely caused a crisis since July 6 and 7. Iran is seeking to prevent vessels from traveling the southern route through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman. Iran wants to impose a fee system on ships, which would create an international crisis at similar maritime chokepoints.
Al-Ain media in the UAE noted that after the attacks, “strong messages of solidarity were conveyed through strongly worded Gulf condemnations of an aggressive Iranian attack targeting two Emirati oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.”
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries affirmed their solidarity with the United Arab Emirates and their support for all measures the UAE has taken to protect its security, sovereignty, and the safety of its facilities and vital interests.
Abu Dhabi defends right to respond to Iran attacks
The GCC is calling on the UN to do something and seek to deter Iran. “The UAE Ministry of Defense announced early Tuesday that the two national tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahia, were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles in the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters,” Al-Ain noted. “An Iranian attack resulted in the death of one crew member of the tanker (Mombasa) of Indian nationality, and the injury of eight, including four whose injuries were described as serious (six of Indian nationality, and two of Ukrainian nationality),” it added.
Abu Dhabi is saying it has a right to respond to the Iranian attacks. “The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained in a statement that this aggressive Iranian attack constitutes a flagrant violation of Security Council Resolution 2817, which stressed freedom of navigation and rejected targeting commercial vessels or disrupting international maritime routes,” the report said. “In another statement, the UAE Ministry of Defense stated that the country reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its people and residents, in order to preserve its sovereignty, security and stability and protect its national interests and capabilities.”
The GCC called the latest attack a “terrorist attack on the two Emirati oil tankers represents a blatant violation and a serious breach of the principles of international law and the rules of freedom of maritime navigation." Now the GCC says it “stands united with the United Arab Emirates and supports all measures it takes to protect its security, sovereignty, and the safety of its facilities and vital interests."
Bahrain expresses full support for UAE
Bahrain also said it is supporting the UAE with full solidarity. Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, and Qatar are some of the countries Iran has attacked in the last week. The Kingdom of Bahrain expressed its “strong condemnation and denunciation of the Iranian terrorist attack,” considering it “a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and stability, and a grave violation of the provisions of international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and Security Council Resolution No. (2817).”
Qatar also issued a statement describing the “serious violation of the safety of international navigation, a direct threat to the security of global energy supplies, and a clear and explicit breach of the rules of international law.” Back on July 7, Iran attacked a Qatari LNG vessel, which helped kick off this latest round of US responses. The US has increased airstrikes over the last few days.
It is clear that the UAE wants a full-court press in terms of condemnation. The killing of crew is a red line, and there will need to be more responses now. It remains to be seen if the UAE will carry out retaliatory strikes. The US is also striking Iran. Iran does not appear ready to climb down yet.