Key facts
- Two ADNOC vessels were attacked by drones in the Strait of Hormuz.
- The UAE blamed Iran for the attacks, calling them 'acts of piracy'.
- No injuries were reported, and the vessels sustained minor damage.
- The U.S. plans to increase economic pressure on Iran.
- Iran has stated it will not allow the waterway to reopen until its conditions are met.
Two vessels owned by the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) were attacked by drones on Thursday evening while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE state news agency WAM reported. The United Arab Emirates government blamed Iran for the attacks, calling them 'acts of piracy' and a violation of freedom of navigation that threatens regional stability and global energy security. The attacks caused no injuries, and the vessels sustained minor damage. Transit through the narrow waterway, through which a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, appeared to slow significantly following the incidents. The U.S. stated it could maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely and plans to increase economic pressure on the country. Iran has indicated it will not allow the waterway to reopen until its conditions, including the removal of economic sanctions, are met. An Iranian parliamentary committee has approved a plan to ban transit for assets and equipment from the U.S., Israel, and other 'hostile' countries through the strait.