The state-owned Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said two separate explosions aboard the Sinopa were caused by a rocket attack. The explosions caused an oil spill and fire. The tanker was reportedly heading for Syria via the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean with a cargo of one million barrels of oil.
A spokesman for NIOC said: ”Two missiles hit the Iran-owned ship near the Jeddah port city of Saudi Arabia.”
Initial reports claimed the blast was a possible “terrorist act”. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said: “Technical experts believe the incident may be due to terrorist activity.”
The Nour news agency said all crew members were safe and the situation of the tanker is stable.
It said: “None of the crew members were injured at the explosion. The situation is under control.”
The explosion comes after the US accused Iran of attacking oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and could further inflame tensions between Washington and Tehran.
It follows attacks on vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, the shooting down of a US military surveillance drone and other incidents across the wider Middle East.
A recent drone and cruise missile attack on key Saudi Arabian oil facilities has also been blamed on Iran although Tehran denies the allegations.
The Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the attack which damaged the world’s biggest crude oil processing plant and temporarily halved Saudi production but their involvement was dismissed as implausible by security analysts.
Iran denied blame and said it was ready for “full-fledged war”, while US President Donald Trump said Washington was “locked and loaded” to retaliate.
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