An Iranian oil tanker was traveling through the Red Sea off the Saudi Arabia coast when two rockets struck the ship, resulting in an alarming explosion According to Iranian media, the explosion damaged two storerooms and caused an oil leak into the Red Sea near Jeddah, Saudi’s port city. Saudi is yet to report on the attack and officials have not answered requests for comments as of yet. This attack on Iran’s oil tanker comes some months after the US accused Iran for attacking tankers near the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, which was denied by Tehran officials.
A spokesman for the US Navy’s 5th Fleet that oversees the Mideast said authorities there were “aware of reports of this incident” but did not have any further comments. This attack could heighten tensions between the US and Iran, which were already raised due to President Trump’s decision to withdraw America from the nuclear deal with sanctions that are now ruining Iran’s economy, and because of the attack on Saudi Arabian oil industry that followed shortly after.