Iran oil tanker on fire after blasts, hit by 2 missiles off Saudi Arabia coast: Reports

(Photo: Twitter/@Frolencewalters)


A massive fire broke out at an Iranian oil tanker after an explosion occured on Friday near the Saudi port city of Jeddah, resulting in an oil spill in the Red Sea, according to Iranian state TV.

“Two missiles hit the Iran-owned ship near the Jeddah port city of Saudi Arabia,” TV said, quoting the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

The explosion reportedly hit the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) tanker’s hull, causing heavy damages to the vessel’s two main reservoirs, which caused the oil spillage

The tanker is currently in a stable condition, the statement added.

The US Navy’s 5th Fleet, which oversees the region, has not commented on the reports.

The reported explosion comes after the US has alleged in the past months that Iran was responsible for attacks on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, something denied by Tehran.

Last month, fire broke out at two facilities of Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state-run oil producer after they were reportedly hit by drones.

The attack was the latest part of a series of attacks on oil infrastructure, including the sabotage of pumping stations along the East-West pipeline, and attacks on oil tankers off Fujairah and close to the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States had targeted Iran for the blasts at the Saudi oil infrastructure, However, Tehran sent Washington a diplomatic note denying any role in drone attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities. Also, it warned that it would respond to any action against it.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also accused Tehran of being behind the attacks on Saudi Aramco oil installations.

Meanwhile, the blasts were claimed by Yemen”s Huthi rebels, who enjoy support from Iran and have been targeted by a Saudi-led air campaign that has helped trigger a humanitarian catastrophe.

Read: Drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil plants trigger fires amid tensions in Gulf

Earlier in August, Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah gas plant was reportedly targeted by drones, Yemen’s Houthi rebels had claimed responsibility for the attacks.

In June, two oil tankers were hit in a suspected attack in the Gulf of Oman. The tankers were struck in the same area where the US accused Iran of using naval mines to sabotage four other oil ships in an attack in May.

The oil tankers were 10 nautical miles apart and headed to Asia when they were struck by explosions after passing through the Strait of Hormuz some 25 nautical miles off Iran’s southern coast.

The explosion could push tensions between Iran and the US even higher, more than a year after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the nuclear deal and imposed sanctions now crushing Iran’s economy.