Tanker Struck by Projectile off the Coast of Saudi Arabia

A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile 68 nautical miles northeast of Jubail, Saudi Arabia, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The agency subsequently issued a second report specifying that the tanker had been attacked with a rocket-propelled grenade fired from a small boat, 78 nautical miles northeast of Jubail, damaging the vessel's port quarter.

Both the first and second UKMTO reports agreed that the entire crew was safe. However, at the time of the reports, the full extent of the damage to the vessel remained unknown, and there was no certainty regarding any potential environmental impact.

The attack occurred amid tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi group. Days earlier, the Houthis had announced a broad missile and drone campaign against Saudi infrastructure targets, including Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran, King Khalid International Airport, and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea described the operation as retaliation for strikes by the Saudi-led coalition against Sanaa. However, UKMTO did not provide any information linking the attack on the tanker to Houthi operations.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. UKMTO did not identify the name of the tanker that was attacked, its flag, or the nationality of the crew, nor did it provide details about the attackers beyond the use of a rocket-propelled grenade. The agency urged mariners operating in the region to exercise heightened caution and to report any suspicious activity.