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Tanker attacked off Saudi Arabia as regional tensions escalate (img: IANS)
London: A tanker has reportedly come under attack 78 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday, amid heightened tensions following recent Houthi threats against Saudi targets.
According to UKMTO, the vessel’s master reported that a small boat fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the tanker, damaging its aft port quarter. All crew members have been accounted for and are reported safe. The full extent of the damage and any environmental impact remain unknown.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over maritime and energy infrastructure security in the region, following claims by Yemen’s Houthi group that it had launched a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting an airport and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
The group also threatened to continue attacks against Saudi targets in the coming days, raising concerns over the safety of commercial shipping and critical energy infrastructure.
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In a statement broadcast by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group had targeted Saudi energy giant Aramco in Dhahran, in the Eastern Province, along with King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh.
Sarea claimed the operation involved "a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones," which he said had accurately struck their intended targets, causing damage and fires.
The spokesperson said the attacks were retaliation for Saudi Arabia-led strikes on Sanaa, Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital, and other areas under the group’s control. According to Sarea, Saudi-led forces had carried out 2,281 air and missile strikes since the latest escalation began, Xinhua news agency reported.
The claims about the scale and impact of the Houthi operation were attributed to the group’s spokesperson.
Sarea vowed that the group’s attacks "deep inside Saudi Arabia" would continue in the coming days, with airports and oil facilities among the intended targets.
He also renewed a warning to international airlines, civilians and employees to stay away from Saudi airports and oil facilities that the Houthis had designated as targets.
The latest threats have heightened concerns over the security of aviation and energy infrastructure, both of which are critical to Saudi Arabia’s economy and regional transport links.
The Houthi announcement followed a statement by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen that it had intercepted six Houthi missiles and three drones heading towards Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Saudi authorities said an Aramco administrative building in Dhahran was targeted on Tuesday evening, triggering a limited fire. Debris from two cruise missiles intercepted over Riyadh also injured four people and damaged 15 homes, officials said on Wednesday.
The latest tanker incident adds to concerns over the potential spillover of regional hostilities into commercial maritime routes. While the crew were reported safe, UKMTO said the full damage assessment and possible environmental consequences had yet to be established.
With the Houthis threatening further strikes and Saudi authorities reporting missile and drone interceptions, the security situation remains uncertain for shipping operators, airlines and energy facilities across the region.
