Saudi Arabia: Targeting of Tanker in the Red Sea and Safety of Its Crew

SadaNews - The General Authority for Transport in Saudi Arabia confirmed that the tanker "Insilia," belonging to one of the Saudi companies, was targeted while sailing in the Red Sea, resulting in a fire breaking out at the front of the ship.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted a responsible source in the authority stating that all crew members are safe, and the relevant authorities have taken all necessary measures to secure the ship and its crew and to protect the marine environment.

The source emphasized that targeting commercial vessels represents a violation of international laws and norms that guarantee the safety of maritime navigation and ship crews.

The Saudi confirmation came after the Houthi group announced carrying out an attack that it claimed targeted the Saudi oil tankers Insilia and Leila using ballistic and winged missiles and drones, claiming to have hit them and caused a fire on board.

Earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced that it received a report of a tanker being struck by an unknown projectile 70 nautical miles southwest of Al-Shuqaiq on the Saudi Red Sea coast, resulting in a fire, confirming that there have been no reports of casualties or environmental damage so far.