Two commercial ships operated by the United Arab Emirates' state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) were targeted while navigating the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday evening, according to regional media and local authorities.
In an official statement released via social media, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly denounced the Iranian strikes, demanding an immediate end to hostiles directed at commercial shipping.
Official reports from the Emirates News Agency confirmed that no casualties occurred during the assault and that personnel successfully stabilized the situation aboard both craft. Specific details regarding the identity of the vessels or the physical damage sustained were not immediately disclosed.
As the central pillar of the United Arab Emirates' economic output, state-run ADNOC stands among the world's premier oil and gas producers.
The attack on the UAE vessels unfolds against an ongoing maritime crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran initially shut down following joint US-Israeli military strikes against Iran on February 28.
In response to stalled diplomatic talks in Islamabad, Washington imposed a naval blockade on April 13, authorizing US Central Command (CENTCOM) to inspect ships entering or leaving Iranian ports in an effort to restrict Tehran’s petroleum sales and maritime traffic.
Although a temporary 60-day agreement was signed in June to pause the embargo in exchange for unhindered merchant shipping, American forces reinstated the maritime blockade last month following renewed armed clashes and attacks on regional vessels.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the standoff remain deadlocked. US President Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that Washington is currently maintaining a measured posture toward Tehran, remarking that the naval blockade has exacerbated a severe economic crisis in Iran, leaving the regime short on funds to pay its armed forces.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted recent developments in negotiations regarding the strategic corridor.
"There's been progress made in those talks, but not finality yet. We're hoping that will happen very shortly," Rubio said.
Conversely, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, recently outlined Tehran's prerequisites for reopening the waterway. Iran’s demands include a total removal of the American naval blockade, an end to economic sanctions, financial reparations for war damages, a complete withdrawal of US forces from the Middle East, and a cessation of military actions targeting Tehran’s regional allies.