Iran oil tanker on fire after ‘being hit by rockets in terrorist attack’ off Saudi coast

Liquid spilling into Red Sea as vessel burns, state media says

Two rockets have struck an Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia, causing a major explosion, according to officials in Tehran.

“Two missiles hit the Iran-owned ship near the Jeddah port city of Saudi Arabia,” state television reported.

“The oil tanker ... sustained damages to the body when it was hit by missiles 96km from the Saudi port city of Jeddah.”

The foreign ministry said the tanker had sustained damage from the explosion.

“Experts believe it was a terrorist attack,” the agency reported, adding that oil spilled out into the sea after the blast.

The leak was later stopped.

“Those behind the attack are responsible for the consequences of this dangerous adventure, including the dangerous environmental pollution caused,” a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry said.

The vessel was on fire in the Red Sea following the blast, which occurred early on Friday morning.

The Nour news agency reported that all crew members were safe.

“None of the crew members were injured at the explosion... the situation is under control,” the news agency, which is close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported.

A spokesperson for the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, which oversees the region, said authorities there were “aware of reports of this [latest] incident,” but declined to comment further.

State news agencies, quoting the country’s national tanker company, identified the vessel as the Sabity.

“We are watching the news closely but are relieved that early reports indicate that the crew are safe and there are no injuries,” said Guy Platten, secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping.

The organisation represents ship owners and operators.

“The safety of seafarers is of paramount importance,” Mr Platten added.

Tensions in the gulf are particularly high after Iran allegedly carried out a series of attacks on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.

On 14 September drones also attacked Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil facilities, devastating two production sites and halving the kingdom’s output.

The US believes Iran is responsible for the attack but Tehran denies any involvement.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed the Aramco attack, though analysts say the missiles used could not have crossed the distance from Yemen to Saudi Arabia.

Russia’s foreign ministry said it was too early to assign blame for the explosion.

Officials from Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Iran said the tanker was in the Red Sea but that officials had planned to change its route as it travelled to the port of Larak, off the Iranian coast.

Additional reporting by agencies