Qatar Reports Drone Strike on Commercial Ship in Its Waters

(MENAFN) Qatar announced that a commercial cargo vessel was struck by a drone inside its territorial waters on Sunday morning, describing the incident as “a blatant violation of freedom of navigation and international law.”

In a statement shared by the Foreign Ministry on the social media platform X, Doha said the incident “considers this attack a blatant violation of the principle of freedom of navigation and the provisions of international law, and a dangerous and unacceptable escalation that threatens the security and safety of commercial maritime routes and vital supplies in the region.”

The ministry also stressed that attacks on civilian and commercial ships “constitutes a serious violation of international law and poses a direct threat to regional and international security and stability.”

Qatari authorities said they are “closely monitoring the situation in coordination with regional and international partners,” adding that investigations are underway to establish the circumstances of the attack and identify those responsible.

Earlier, the Defense Ministry reported that the vessel, which had departed from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, was targeted by a drone northeast of Mesaieed Port on Sunday morning.

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