Attack on Saudi fuel tanker off Yemen coast

Last Updated on September 3, 2024 6:35 am

A crude oil tanker owned by Saudi Arabia and a Panamanian-flagged ship were attacked. The attack was carried out on Monday near the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea. Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels are suspected of carrying out the attack.

Multiple sources said the Saudi-flagged tanker Amjad and the Panamanian-flagged Blue Lagoon-1 were anchored side by side at the time of the attack. The Saudi tanker is on its way after being attacked. However, it is not known whether there was any major damage or casualty.

Saudi Arabia’s state-owned company Bahri, which owns the tanker Amzad, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the attack, Reuters reported. This Saudi-owned supertanker has a maximum capacity of 2 million barrels of oil.

Sea Trade Marine SA, the Greek management company of the Panamanian-flagged vessel Blue Lagoon-1, was also not immediately available for comment. Suezmax has a maximum capacity of 1 million barrels.

A source said the Saudi-owned tanker was not directly targeted. The war between the Palestinian armed group Hamas and Israel started on October 7 last year. Israel then launched a barbaric attack on Gaza. The Houthis have been attacking ships owned by Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom in Aden and the Red Sea since last November in protest against Israel’s attack on the Palestinian Gaza Strip.