Qatar Strongly Condemns Targeting of Two UAE Oil Tankers in the Strait of Hormuz

DOHA - The State of Qatar strongly condemned an attack targetting two UAE oil tankers as they transited the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as a serious violation of the safety of international navigation, a direct threat to global energy supplies, and a clear breach of international law. 

In a statement carried by the Qatar News Agency (QNA) on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the continuation of such unacceptable attacks represent a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and stability and undermines ongoing efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. 

Part of a Wider Pattern of Attacks
Tuesday's condemnation is the latest in a series of similar statements from Doha in recent months, as attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated amid the broader US-Iran conflict. In May, Qatar strongly condemned an Iranian attack that targeted a UAE tanker belonging to ADNOC using two drones while it was transiting the strait, calling it a blatant violation of international law and freedom of navigation, and a clear breach of UN Security Council Resolution 2817.
Qatar has also been directly affected by the unrest. In early July, Qatar condemned an attack on its own liquefied natural gas tanker, the Al Rekayyat, after it was struck by a drone near the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire in its engine room. Qatar summoned Iran's deputy ambassador in Doha over that incident, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari saying Qatar held Iran "fully legally responsible" for the attack and any resulting damage. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei later called Qatar's condemnation of that incident "questionable" and "contrary to the principle of good neighbourliness."

Solidarity With the UAE

In its earlier statement regarding the ADNOC tanker attack, Qatar's Foreign Ministry reiterated the country's firm rejection of using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of pressure and renewed its call for the waterway's unconditional reopening, stressing that freedom of navigation through the strait is a well-established principle that is not subject to bargaining. The ministry also affirmed Qatar's full solidarity with the United Arab Emirates and its support for all measures the UAE takes to safeguard its interests and assets.

A Waterway Under Strain

The Strait of Hormuz has been a persistent flashpoint since joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, 2026. Before that escalation, the strait carried roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies. An interim US-Iran memorandum reached in late June had aimed to reopen the waterway and pause hostilities, but renewed attacks on commercial vessels in the weeks since have raised fresh doubts about whether shipping security in the strait can be reliably maintained.

This is a developing story and will be updated as further details become available.