Iran Attacks Saudi Tanker and Expands Hormuz Blacklist

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) expanded its blacklist of non-compliant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz to 56 ships, an increase from the 45 tankers initially listed on August 24. The Iranian body warned that blacklisted vessels face fines, detention, or confiscation. The list includes crude carriers and liquefied natural gas tankers owned by the UAE's ADNOC Logistics and Shipping and Saudi Arabia's Bahri.

Simultaneously, Iran attacked the Saudi-flagged tanker Sidr on Monday as it transited the strait. Bahri reported that two crew members were killed in the incident. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan condemned the attack as a violation of international law and a threat to global energy supplies. Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs specifically rejected the use of the waterway as a tool for political pressure.

These actions escalate a conflict triggered six months ago by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. While a Pakistan-mediated memorandum in June briefly allowed for a reopening period, Iran has reestablished the closure of the strait. Iranian officials have conditioned the waterway's reopening on the cessation of aggression on all fronts and the lifting of U.S. naval and economic blockades.