Hormuz Traffic Craters to Four Ships as Iran-U.S. Strikes Escalate

Two sailors have died from Monday's attack on a Saudi oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, with Riyadh now formally accusing Iran of targeting the Bahri-owned Sidr as Tehran launches a new wave of missile and drone strikes against U.S. bases across the region. Bahri confirmed Wednesday that the two Filipino crew members were killed in the attack. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry condemned Iran for targeting the tanker and reiterated its rejection of attacks threatening "the security and safety of maritime navigation and global energy supplies." The Sidr was one of two supertankers hit near Oman late Monday while attempting to leave the Persian Gulf. UK Maritime Trade Operations initially reported that a tanker had been struck by three unknown projectiles, with no casualties reported at the time. [GooglePreferredSource] Riyadh has not threatened military retaliation, but the deaths aboard the Sidr sharply raise the stakes for Saudi Arabia.