Iran’s official IRNA news agency says two explosion, likely to be missiles have struck an Iran-owned oil tanker setting it ablaze off Saudi Arabia’s coast, off the port city of Jeddah.
“Two missiles hit the Iran-owned ship near the Jeddah port city of Saudi Arabia,” Iranian state TV said, quoting the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).
The explosions caused heavy damages to the tanker, and oil is spilling in the Red Sea, according to the semiofficial ISNA news agency.
However, AFP quoted the National Iranian Tanker Company saying in a statement that the hull of the Sabiti was hit by two separate explosions about 100 kilometers (60 miles) off the Saudi coast. Another report in Iranian media named the tanker as Sinopa.
It said the blasts were “probably caused by missile strikes”.
“All the ship’s crew are safe and the ship is stable too,” said NITC, adding those on board were trying to repair the damage.
The state-owned company said that contrary to reports, “there is no fire aboard the ship and the ship is completely stable”.
Experts on board to investigate did not rule out it being a “terrorist attack,” the agency said.
First images from Iranian oil tanker #SABITI in Red Sea that suffered from two separate explosions on Friday morning as a result of likely missile attack.#Iran pic.twitter.com/1Erve0dOI8
— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) October 11, 2019
There was no immediate acknowledgement from Saudi officials of the incident, which comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East.
Oil prices jumped two percent Friday morning following the news about the attack on the Iranian tanker.
In September missiles and drones hit key Saudi oil installations causing extensive damage and disruption to oil production. The United States, Saudi Arabia and Britain accused Iran of being behind the attack.
The tanker company said it will change the route of its Sabiti vessel.
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Via Zero Hedge
Iranian media said “technical experts” are still investigating the cause of the explosion, though Iranian state media initially blamed Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom, meanwhile, denied any responsibility for the attack. However, according to conflicting reports, the National Iranian Oil Company denied that Saudi Arabia, Iran’s archrival in the region, was behind the attack, and instead pointed the finger toward Israel.
