Indian Crew Member Killed, Eight Injured as Iran Strikes UAE Oil Tankers in Hormuz

Washington DC/Tehran: An Indian crew member was killed and eight others were injured after two UAE oil tankers were hit by Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday.

The ministry said the attack killed one Indian national and injured six other Indians and two Ukrainians.

"The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents," it said.

The strikes came as Iran retaliated against the latest US airstrikes, with Bahrain also coming under renewed missile attack. Authorities activated air raid sirens and urged residents to take shelter. No casualties or damage were immediately reported.

The attack followed fresh US strikes on Iran early Tuesday, hours after President Donald Trump announced Washington was "reinstating" a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also said the US would charge ships for safe passage through the strategic waterway, marking a major shift from long standing American policy supporting free navigation.

Following the tanker attack, the UAE warned of possible retaliation, raising fears of a broader regional conflict involving the Gulf nation.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of global crude oil and natural gas trade passed before the conflict, remains at the centre of the US-Iran standoff.

Brent crude prices jumped 7.8% to $81.92 a barrel, reflecting renewed concerns over global energy supplies.

Meanwhile, US Central Command said it had launched another round of strikes targeting Iranian forces.

"These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," it said.

Trump described the operation as "another major attack," adding that the US was "putting the blockade back" and would seek reimbursement from ships for providing protection in the waterway.