A Saudi-owned tanker, Encelia, was attacked in the Red Sea on Wednesday, days after Houthi threats to attack the kingdom's shipping, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.
The attack caused a fire on the bow of the ship but all crew members are safe, SPA said, quoting the General Transport Authority.
“These attacks constitute a violation of international laws and conventions that guarantee the safety of commercial vessels and their crews,” it added.
Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed to have attacked two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, raising the risk of a second chokehold on oil supplies amid a global energy crisis caused by the regional conflict. The Iran-backed group said they targeted the tankers with missiles and drones for “violating the blockade in the Red Sea”.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also said it had received a report of an incident 70 nautical miles south-west of Saudi Arabia that involved a tanker being struck by an unknown projectile, which caused a fire on board.
The Houthi rebels announced a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia on Monday, which analysts say could be a pressure tactic by Iran amid renewed escalation in the Middle East.
The move, which the Houthis described as a response to a Saudi blockade of Yemen, threatens to worsen the conflict and shut off a critical route that bypasses the contested Strait of Hormuz.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry accused the Houthis of making false claims. It said Riyadh had instead worked for years to ease Yemen’s humanitarian crisis through aid, development support and economic assistance.
Six commercial vessels changed course away from Saudi ports on Wednesday, according to ship tracking data. Several tankers loaded with Saudi oil have made a U-turn in the Red Sea this week, heading towards the Suez Canal instead of sailing along the Yemeni coast.
The Red Sea has served as a critical alternative route for millions of barrels of Saudi oil per day since the onset of the regional conflict in late February.
Oil prices rose for a fifth day on Thursday over increasing concerns about supply availability after the attacks in the Red Sea and strikes between Iran and the US that have once again virtually shut the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said an oil tanker caught fire overnight in the strait after an explosion while trying to follow a route that was mined, while two others had turned back.
The IRGC said the strait was under their control and “completely closed” in response to US attacks. It warned that no tanker would be allowed to enter or leave without co-ordination with Iran.
The US Central Command described Iran's claim of control over the strait as “false”, saying “the international waterway remains open for transit regardless of IRGC threats and attacks”.
“Commercial vessels continue to use the strait with US military support. Since early May, American forces have helped more than 900 ships transit the strait,” added Centcom.
