Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate as Iranian Missile Hits Tanker; Houthi Attack Targets Saudi Oil Facility

Dubai: Tensions in the Middle East have intensified after Iran reportedly launched a missile attack on an oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, while Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed an attack on a Saudi Aramco facility in Jazan.

According to reports, Iran targeted a tanker belonging to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) while it was sailing through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. A fire reportedly broke out on the vessel but was later brought under control. The ship’s owner said there were no casualties in the incident.

The attack came as Iran and Oman continued talks on arrangements for navigation through the strategic waterway. Oman said the negotiations were progressing despite the incident and urged all sides to avoid actions that could undermine the talks.

Iran, meanwhile, has indicated that it will not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz until a series of demands are addressed, including an end to the US naval blockade, withdrawal of American military assets from the region, sanctions relief and compensation for war-related damage.

Houthi Attack on Saudi Aramco Facility

Separately, Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed that it had carried out a drone attack on the Saudi Aramco refinery in Jazan. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed that a fire broke out at one of the refinery’s facilities at dawn on Sunday and said firefighting teams brought it under control without any injuries. The ministry did not attribute the fire to the Houthi attack.

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The Houthi group claimed responsibility for the strike and said it had targeted the facility with a drone. The refinery had also been targeted by the group in July, with earlier damage reportedly affecting parts of the facility.

The escalation extended beyond the refinery. Houthi forces also launched missile and drone attacks on Mocha port in Yemen, according to Yemeni government sources. At least 11 people were reported killed and 32 wounded, including civilians and military personnel, in the attacks, according to a medical source cited by AFP.

Wider Regional Tensions

The developments come amid a broader escalation involving Iran, the United States, Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has severely restricted shipping through one of the world’s most important energy routes, while attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and Red Sea shipping have added to concerns over regional energy supplies.

The situation is also unfolding shortly after Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed a tripartite defence agreement in Makkah, under which an attack on any one of the three countries is to be treated as an attack on all three, according to reporting on the agreement.

With tensions continuing in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks affecting shipping and energy infrastructure, international attention remains focused on whether ongoing diplomatic efforts can prevent further escalation across the region.