https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/gcc/oil-tanker-attacked-off-coast-of-saudi-arabia-says-operator-1.1117858
An oil tanker has been attacked by an "unknown source" at Saudi Arabia's Shuqaiq port, its operator said on Wednesday.
In a statement shared with The National, TMS Tankers Ltd said the ship was preparing to depart after offloading the oil it was carrying when it was struck.
"The Agrari was struck about one metre above the waterline and has suffered a breach," it said, adding there were no casualties and no pollution reported.
"The vessel is in ballast condition and stable," the statement added.
The incident was also confirmed by British intelligence firm Ambrey, which said a tanker was attacked at Shuqaiq in Jizan province, which borders Yemen.
A Saudi Aramco spokesman said the incident off the coast of the kingdom has nothing to do with the company and the terminal and associated infrastructure were not owned or operated by the state-backed firm.
The culprit has not yet been identified, but attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on ships have been on the increase. The Saudi-led coalition reported on Tuesday that it removed and destroyed five Iranian-made naval mines planted by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea, condemning the attempted attacks as posing “a serious threat to maritime security in the Bab Al Mandab strait.”
On Monday, a missile fired by the rebels struck an oil facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Agrari, built in 2009 and worth $17.5 million, has 14 cargo tanks and a capacity for 118,075 m³ of crude oil.
After the attack the vessel was boarded by local authorities, including the Coast Guard, and an investigation has been launched into the incident.