Saudi Arabia says oil tankers targeted in ‘sabotage attack’

Saudi Arabia says oil tankers targeted in ‘sabotage attack’

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister said on Monday that two Saudi oil tankers were targeted in “a sabotage attack” off of the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

The attack did not lead to any casualties or an oil spill but caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels, Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said in a statement published by state news agency SPA.

One of the two vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil to be delivered to state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco’s customers in the United States, Falih added.

On Sunday, the UAE foreign ministry said four commercial vessels were targeted by “sabotage operations” near the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates without causing casualties. It gave no details of the nature of the sabotage.

The Saudi minister added in the statement that it is the international community’s responsibility to protect maritime navigation and the security of oil tankers.