Gulf Oil Tanker Attacks Escalate; ADNOC Reports 15 Vessels Hit Since War Onset

RIYADH: Fifteen ADNOC vessels attacked since the war began, three in a single week. That figure, disclosed by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company itself, frames the scale of what Gulf and Arab states are now treating as a sustained economic threat, not an isolated incident.

The latest strike hit an ADNOC tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz after Iran launched a missile at the vessel. The UAE foreign ministry described it as a “hostile Iranian attack” that struck the tanker without causing casualties. The attack drew swift, coordinated condemnation from capitals across the Arabian Peninsula, each framing the incident as a direct threat to maritime commerce and energy security.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued the sharpest rebuke, labeling the strikes “unacceptable attacks” that jeopardize both maritime security and the global energy supply. Riyadh held Iran directly accountable for the consequences of continued assaults and demanded an immediate cessation, characterizing the incidents as serious breaches of international law and violations of established norms protecting freedom of navigation through international waterways.

The Gulf Cooperation Council reinforced that position. Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi described the attack as a “dangerous” escalation threatening maritime navigation and international commerce, and called on the international community to adopt a firm stance and guarantee safe passage through the strait.

Qatar went further on the commercial dimension. Doha demanded the unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, characterizing freedom of navigation as a “fundamental and non-negotiable principle,” and cautioned that continued closure of the waterway threatens the vital interests of regional nations and the broader global economy. Kuwait and Bahrain each issued separate condemnations, citing violations of international law and pledging solidarity with the UAE.

Bahrain escalated the diplomatic response by pressing the UN Security Council to take decisive action to protect navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and other major international waterways, and called on the international community to compel Iran to reopen the strait and cease attacks on commercial vessels. Multiple statements cited UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which affirms freedom of navigation and safe passage through international waterways.

Nabil Fahmy, Secretary General of the Arab League, added institutional weight to the condemnations, describing the missile attack as the latest in a series of Iranian violations targeting freedom of navigation. Fahmy held Tehran “fully responsible” for strikes on Arab assets and warned that such actions carry serious consequences for regional security and stability.

Syria and Jordan, through their foreign ministries, reaffirmed solidarity with the UAE and endorsed measures the emirate has taken to safeguard its security, stability, and vital assets.

What changed the calculus for many of these governments is the broader posture Iran has adopted toward the strait. Iran has imposed an effective blockade and is seeking to charge users for passage, a position the United States fiercely opposes. Iran is simultaneously engaged in talks with Oman regarding future management arrangements for the waterway, a negotiation that carries significant implications for how energy flows and shipping costs are structured across the region.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for oil and gas exports. Whether Iran’s talks with Oman produce any arrangement that satisfies the commercial interests of Gulf producers and their trading partners, or whether attacks on vessels like the ADNOC tanker continue in the meantime, is the question now hanging over every cargo that transits the passage.