Saudi tanker, another oil ship attacked off rebel-held Yemen coast
Two merchant vessels were struck in attacks on Monday off the coast of Yemen's rebel-held Hodeida province, maritime security agencies said, reporting that both crews were safe in the aftermath. One attack was claimed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have targeted ships they say are linked to Israel.
Two oil tankers, the Saudi-flagged Amjad and Panama-flagged Blue Lagoon I, were attacked on Monday in the Red Sea off Yemen, two sources familiar with the matter said.
Yemen's Houthis late on Monday claimed responsibility for targeting the Blue Lagoon with multiple missiles and drones but did not make any mention of the Saudi tanker.
The sources said the ships were sailing near each other when they were hit but were able to continue their voyages with no major damage assessed or any casualties.
The Amjad's owner, Saudi national shipping group Bahri, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The supertanker has a maximum capacity of 2 million barrels.
The Greek manager of the Blue Lagoon I, Sea Trade Marine SA, was not immediately available for comment. The Suezmax tanker has a maximum capacity of 1 million barrels.
One of the sources said the Amjad was unlikely to have been directly targeted.
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, has watched with alarm as Houthi missiles have been fired over its territory to target ships in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has tried to extract itself from a messy war in Yemen and a destructive feud with the Houthis' principal backer, Iran.
(Reuters)
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