All crew are safe and the vessel continues on its voyage.
According to a report from Reuters, an explosion was reported near a Liberia-flagged tanker owned by an Israeli company while it was navigating southwest of Yanbu, a port city on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) noted A Master has reported to UKMTO that they witnessed a splash in close proximity to their vessel from an unknown projectile and heard a loud bang. All crew are safe and the vessel continues on its voyage.
Ambrey, a British maritime security firm, later assessed that this incident might be linked to Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement due to the vessel’s ownership. Since early 2023, the Houthis have intensified their attacks on vessels they associate with Israel as part of their stated support for Palestinians in Gaza.
The involvement of the Houthis in this specific incident remains uncertain as they have not issued any statements regarding it. UKMTO has not identified any responsible parties but confirmed that investigations are underway.
In a later update,
Ambrey said it assessed the vessel to be “aligned with” the targets of Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis’ profile given that it was publicly Israeli-owned.
Since 2023,
It is noteworthy that since 2023, the Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea that they deem to be affiliated with Israel in what they describe as support of Palestinians in Gaza.
It was not immediately clear if the Houthis were involved, and the group did not provide immediate comment on the reported incident.
UKMTO did not identify the party responsible, but said authorities were investigating.
A strategic port city
Yanbu serves as a strategic port city along Saudi Arabia’s western coastline and has been at the center of regional tensions since 2015 when Saudi Arabia led a coalition military campaign aimed at restoring Yemen’s Gulf-backed government after
Houthi forces took control of Sanaa in 2014. In previous encounters, this coalition has successfully thwarted attacks involving explosive-laden boats attributed to Houthi forces.
King Fahd Industrial Port
King Fahd Industrial Port in
Yanbu is considered the largest industrial port on the Red Sea coast specializing in loading crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals exported from the Kingdom to global markets. It was established in 1980 to serve industrial complexes and meet their needs by importing equipment, machinery, and production support materials.
