RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Saturday condemned the targeting of an oil tanker belonging to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, expressing full solidarity with the UAE.
The Kingdom stressed that the “unacceptable attacks” on shipping threatened maritime security and global energy supplies, the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia held Iran responsible for the consequences of continuing such attacks, describing them as a serious violation of international law and norms governing freedom of navigation and safe passage through international waterways.
The Saudi foreign ministry called on Tehran to immediately halt the attacks to preserve regional security and stability, while reaffirming its support for measures taken by the UAE to protect its sovereignty and national assets.
#Statement | The Foreign Ministry expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strongest condemnation and denunciation of the targeting of an Emirati tanker while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The Kingdom affirms that these reprehensible attacks constitute an assault on the… pic.twitter.com/4iZcqla0bi
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) August 8, 2026
Attack on ADNOC oil tanked in Hormuz
Earlier, the United Arab Emirates condemned what it said was an Iranian attack on a carrier linked to its state oil company as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Tehran of “acts of piracy”.
State news agency WAM initially reported ADNOC as saying one of its vessels had been targeted by a missile early on Saturday and that the situation was under control.
The UAE Foreign Ministry later condemned what it called “the hostile Iranian attack” on an ADNOC vessel.
UAE Strongly Condemns Targeting of ADNOC Carrier While Transiting Strait of Hormuz https://t.co/hoOAZ8D0RT pic.twitter.com/UQ6BqzC2Ea
— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) August 8, 2026
Neither statement gave details on the tanker, its cargo or possible damage. No injuries were reported.
About a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed through the narrow waterway between Oman and Iran prior to the conflict. Since the US-Israeli war on Iran broke out on February 28, shipping has been repeatedly disrupted, raising freight rates and creating security concerns.
The UAE foreign ministry said the attack violated a UN Security Council resolution on freedom of navigation and accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guards of “acts of piracy” by targeting commercial shipping and using the waterway as a tool of economic pressure.
It called on Iran to halt the attacks and reopen the strait fully and unconditionally.
15 attacks on ADNOC vessels in Hormuz
ADNOC said on Friday that it had been significantly affected by what it described as unprovoked attacks on its personnel and assets, while continuing to meet customer requirements in an “exceptionally challenging environment.”
The company said 15 of its vessels had been attacked by missiles and drones while transiting the strait since the start of the conflict, including three this week, killing one crew member and injuring 20 others.
ADNOC did not identify those responsible for the attacks in its statement on Friday.
ADNOC, the Abu Dhabi state oil company, is one of the world’s largest energy producers and exports crude oil, natural gas and refined products to customers worldwide.
