Two informed sources said that a Saudi oil tanker and another oil ship flying the Panama flag were attacked on Monday in the Red Sea off Yemen, although it was not clear whether Houthi militants allied with Iran were behind the attack.

The two sources added to Reuters that the two tankers (Amjad), flying the flag of Saudi Arabia, and (Blue Lagoon 1), flying the flag of Panama, were sailing close to each other when they were hit, but the two tankers were able to continue their journeys without major damage or injuries to individuals on board. .

The Saudi National Shipping Group, which owns Amjad, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The tanker's maximum capacity is two million barrels.

It has not yet been possible to obtain a comment from the Greek company (Sea Trade Marine SA), which operates the ship (Blue Lagoon 1), which has a capacity of one million barrels.

One source said that it was unlikely that the tanker (Amjad) was a direct target.

Saudi Arabia, the largest oil exporting country in the world, is watching with concern the Houthis launching missiles that pass over its territory to target ships in the Red Sea. Riyadh is trying to emerge from a chaotic war in Yemen and a devastating conflict with Iran, the main supporter of the Houthis.

Earlier, the British Maritime Trade Operations Authority (UKMTO) said that it had been informed by the captain of a commercial ship that it had been “hit by unknown projectiles” before a “third explosion occurred in its vicinity,” 70 nautical miles northwest of Salif Port. Located in Hodeidah Governorate in western Yemen, which is under the control of the Houthi rebels.

The authority, which is run by the British Royal Forces, indicated that “damage control is currently underway.” She pointed out that “there were no casualties on board the ship heading to the next port.”

For its part, the British maritime security company “Embry” reported that the tanker was flying the Panama flag, suggesting that it “was targeted because of the company’s (owner or operator) connection to a ship visiting Israeli ports.” She indicated that military authorities in the region confirmed that the projectiles that hit the ship were missiles.

In a separate attack, the authority reported receiving a report from another commercial ship about being “hit by a drone” 58 nautical miles west of Hodeidah, noting that “there were no casualties on board the ship heading to the next port.”

Embry indicated that this ship “is not among the Houthis’ declared target bank.”

No party has so far claimed responsibility for the two attacks, but they come in the context of repeated attacks carried out by the Houthis since November on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The Iran-backed Houthis say they are launching these attacks in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is waging war against Hamas after the latter’s attack on its territory on October 7.

The Houthi attacks prompted some shipping companies to circumvent South Africa to avoid crossing the Red Sea, a vital route through which 12% of global trade passes.

Washington leads an international maritime coalition with the aim of “protecting” maritime navigation in this strategic region.

To try to deter them, American and British forces have been launching strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen since January 12. The US Army alone carries out strikes from time to time on missile platforms and drones that it says are prepared for launch.

Source: Reuters + French