London: A tanker has reportedly been attacked 78 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday.
The master of the tanker reported being attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade from a small boat, resulting in damage to the aft port quarter, according to the UKMTO.
Crew are accounted for and reported safe, and a complete damage assessment and environmental impact are unknown, said the UKMTO.
Earlier this week, Yemen’s Houthi group said that it had launched a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting an airport and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. It also vowed to continue strikes against Saudi targets in the coming days.
In a statement broadcast by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group targeted Saudi energy giant Aramco in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, as well as King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh.
According to Sarea, the operation involved “a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” which accurately hit their targets, causing damage and fires.
The Houthi spokesperson said the operation was carried out in retaliation for Saudi Arabia-led strikes on the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa and other areas under the group’s control. He said Saudi-led forces had carried out 2,281 air and missile strikes since the latest escalation began, Xinhua news agency reported.
Sarea vowed that the group’s attacks “deep inside Saudi Arabia” would continue in the coming days, targeting airports and oil facilities. He also renewed a warning to international airlines, civilians and employees to stay away from airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia that the group had designated as targets.
The Houthi claim came after the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it intercepted six Houthi missiles and three drones heading towards Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. An Aramco administrative building in Dhahran was targeted Tuesday evening, sparking a limited fire, while debris from two cruise missiles intercepted over Riyadh injured four people and damaged 15 homes, Saudi authorities said Wednesday.
–IANS–
