India summons Iranian diplomats after strike kills Indian sailor in Hormuz waters

New Delhi: India on Tuesday summoned the Iranian diplomats, including Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Mohammad Javad Hosseini, following the latest attack on United Arab Emirates (UAE) merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which killed one Indian and injured several others.

An Indian sailor was killed, and six others were injured after a strike by Iran on the UAE oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Following this, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned the Iranian envoys.

Two UAE tankers were hit by two Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters. The tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were struck while transiting the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Indian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) condoled the loss of life of the Indian seafarer and said that it is closely monitoring the situation.

“We condole the tragic loss of an Indian seafarer in the attacks on two vessels, Al Bahiyah & Mombasa B. We are closely monitoring the situation and are in touch with the local authorities to render all possible assistance to the injured and families,” the Embassy wrote on X.

UAE’s Ministry of Defence said the attack also caused material damage to both tankers after fires broke out on board. The fires have since been brought under control.

The Ministry of Defence strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a serious violation of international law that threatens regional security and stability. It said the UAE reserves the full right to respond to the escalation and will take all necessary measures to protect its territory, people, residents, national interests and strategic assets.

The ministry added that it remains fully prepared to deal with any threats and urged the public to obtain information only from official sources and refrain from spreading rumours or unverified information.

IANS