The sabotage operation that targeted commercial and civilian vessels near the UAE territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, off the coast of Fujairah, is a dastardly act and those behind such reprehensible action should be forced to pay a price.

It’s fortunate that there were no injuries or fatalities on board the vessels and there had been no spillage of harmful chemicals or fuel.

The sabotaging can only be seen as a serious escalation revealing the evil intent of those who planned and carried it out and poses a dangerous threat to the safety of navigation in one of the most important waterways in the world.

The unstinted support extended by several countries and organisations to the UAE in all its measures taken to safeguard its security and interests and against any attempt to undermine the security and safety of its navigation indicates the world’s total rejection of such acts.

Saudi Arabia has expressed the solidarity of the Kingdom and its stand alongside the UAE in all measures taken to safeguard its security and interests.

The Saudi Press Agency, SPA, has quoted an official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia as saying that this criminal act poses a serious threat to the security and safety of maritime traffic, which reflects negatively on regional and international peace and security.

Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon are among several countries that have condemned the cowardly act and reaffirmed their supportive stance with the UAE to secure its stability and maintain its sovereignty.

The Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit is absolutely correct in stating that these criminal acts represent a serious violation of the freedom and safety of trade and maritime transport routes, and would raise the level of escalation in the region.

These threats to the land or sea borders, or the transport and trade routes of any member state of the Arab League, represent an unacceptable violation of Arab national security.

Dr Mishaal Bin Fahm Al Salami, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, has also rightly stated that the targeting of commercial ships is a terrorist act and a serious threat to international peace and security, which requires immediate and decisive action of the international community to secure international trade and shipping lines and to hold accountable the perpetrators of this cowardly act of sabotage.

As the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MOFAIC, pointed out, carrying out acts of sabotage on commercial and civilian vessels and threatening the safety and lives of those on board is a serious development.

Especially in such a situation, rumours should never be encouraged. The ministry had described as baseless and unfounded rumours earlier on Sunday of incidents taking place within the Port of Fujairah, and made it clear that operations within the port were under way as normal, without any interruption.

The international community needs to act swiftly and unitedly in sending a strong message in order to avert the repeat of such cowardly actions.

Such actions also have the ability to threaten the stability of the world economy and only tend to increase tension and conflicts in the region and expose its peoples to great danger.

The international community should take the matter seriously and assume its responsibilities to prevent such actions by parties attempting to undermine maritime traffic safety and security.