A file picture of Jasmine tanker at the Baniyas oil discharge area in Syria, October 4, 2019, is shown in this satellite image handout released on October 9, 2019 |
Middle East
An Iranian-owned oil tanker was struck by two missiles off the Saudi port of Jeddah on Friday, Iranian state television reported, quoting the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) which owns the vessel.
An Iranian-owned oil tanker was struck by two missiles off the Saudi port of Jeddah on Friday, Iranian state television reported, quoting the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) which owns the vessel.
The tanker was set ablaze and
suffered heavy damage and was leaking crude about 60—miles (96—km) from Jeddah,
according to Iranian media.
The alleged attack is
the latest incident involving oil tankers in the Red Sea
and Gulf region, and is likely to ratchet up tensions between Iran
and Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. Navy's Fifth
Fleet, which operates in the region, said it was aware of media reports about
the tanker, but did not have any further information at this time.
There was no immediate
comment from Saudi Arabia.
Iran's ISNA news agency
cited a source saying the vessel was struck in a "terrorist" attack.
Iran's state television reported that two of its tanks were damaged.
Tensions are already
high in the Red Sea shipping area, which links the Indian Ocean with the
Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
It follows strikes on
key Saudi oil installations
in September and attacks on tankers in the Gulf area in May and
June. The United States has blamed Iran, which denied any role.
Oil prices jumped 2%
after reports of the tanker explosion, with benchmark Brent and U.S. West Texas
Intermediate crude futures rising more than $1 a barrel.
A NIOC statement,
carried by Iranian media, identified the ship as Sabiti, a Suezmax vessel,
after initial reports had identified it as the Sinopa, another Suezmax ship.
Refinitiv ship tracking
data gave the Sabiti's last reported position on Aug.—14 as off the southern
coast of Iran in the Gulf. It said the Sinopa was in the Red Sea, according the
latest data updated on Oct.—10.
Iran's Nour news
agency, which is close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, said the crew
was safe.
The Sept. 14 attacks on
Saudi oil sites in the east of the kingdom shut down 5.7—million barrels per
day (bpd) of production, about half of Saudi output and roughly 5% of global
supply. Output has since been restored.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned
Houthi group claimed responsibility for those attacks, but a U.S. official said
they originated from southwestern Iran. Riyadh blamed Tehran. Iran denied any
role. - Reuters
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