London, October 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A tanker has reportedly been attacked 78 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday.
According to the UKMTO, the vessel’s master reported that a small boat had attacked the tanker with a rocket-propelled grenade, damaging its aft port quarter.
All crew members have been accounted for and reported safe. However, a complete assessment of the damage and the potential environmental impact remains unavailable, the UKMTO said.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions following recent Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
Earlier this week, Yemen’s Houthi group claimed it had launched a large-scale missile and drone operation targeting an airport and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. The group also vowed to continue strikes against Saudi targets in the coming days.
In a statement broadcast by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, the group’s military spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, said the operation targeted Saudi energy giant Aramco in Dhahran, in the Eastern Province, as well as King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh.
Sarea claimed the operation involved “a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones” that accurately struck their targets, causing damage and fires.
The Houthi spokesperson said the attacks were carried out in retaliation for Saudi Arabia-led strikes on Sanaa, the Yemeni capital controlled by the group, and other areas under Houthi control. He claimed that Saudi-led forces had conducted 2,281 air and missile strikes since the latest escalation began, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Sarea warned that attacks deep inside Saudi Arabia would continue in the coming days, with airports and oil facilities remaining among the intended targets. He also renewed a warning to international airlines, civilians and employees to stay away from airports and oil installations that the group had designated as targets.
The Houthi claims followed an announcement by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen that it had intercepted six Houthi missiles and three drones heading towards Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Saudi authorities said an Aramco administrative building in Dhahran was targeted on Tuesday evening, triggering a limited fire. They also reported that debris from two cruise missiles intercepted over Riyadh injured four people and damaged 15 homes.
The circumstances surrounding Saturday’s reported tanker attack, including the extent of the damage and any environmental consequences, remain unclear.
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