DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two of its oil tankers were among those attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and described it as an attempt to undermine the security of crude supplies amid tensions between the United States and Iran. The UAE said on Sunday that four commercial vessels were sabotaged near Fujairah emirate, one of the world’s largest bunkering hubs lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. It did not describe the nature of the attack or say who was behind it. The UAE on Monday identified the vessels as two crude oil tankers owned by Saudi shipping firm Bahri, a UAE-flagged fuel bunker barge and a Norwegian-registered oil products tanker. The owner of the Norwegian vessel, Thome Ship Management, said the vessel was “struck by an unknown object”. Footage seen by Reuters showed a hole in the hull at the waterline with the metal torn open inwards. A Reuters witness said divers were inspecting the ships. The UAE’s state news agency said Fujairah port was operating normally. Iran, embroiled in an escalating war of words with the United States over sanctions and the U.S. military presence in the region, moved to distance itself on Monday. Iran’s Foreign Ministry called the incidents “worrisome and dreadful” and called for an investigation. A senior Iranian lawmaker said “saboteurs from a third country” could be behind it, after saying on Sunday the incident showed the security of Gulf states was fragile. A U.S. official familiar with American intelligence said Iran was a leading candidate for having carried out the attacks but the United States does not have conclusive proof. “It fits their M.O. (modus operandi),” said the official on condition of anonymity, suggesting Iran’s statements distancing itself from the incident were an attempt “to muddy the waters.” POMPEO WARNS OF ESCALATING THREATS U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shared information on “escalating” threats from Iran during meetings with EU counterparts and the head of NATO in Brussels, the U.S. special representative for Iran Brian Hook told reporters. Hook declined to say whether he believed Iran played a role or if Pompeo blamed Iran. He said the UAE had sought U.S. help in the investigation and Washington was glad to provide this. The U.S. Maritime Administration said in an advisory on Sunday that incidents off Fujairah, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, had not been confirmed and urged caution. Last week the Maritime Administration said Iran could target U.S. commercial ships including oil tankers sailing through Middle East waterways. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said the UAE incident “has a negative impact on maritime transportation security” and asked regional countries to be “vigilant against destabilizing plots of foreign agents”, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported. Before talks with Pompeo in Brussels, Britain’s Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt warned of the risks of “a conflict happening by accident” with an unintended escalation between Washington and Tehran over an unraveling nuclear deal. Slideshow ( 7 images ) GRAPHIC-Oil tankers attacked - tmsnrt.rs/2W4yczs CHOKEPOINT Washington withdrew last year from a 2015 pact between Iran and global powers aimed at reining in Tehran’s nuclear plans. Since then, Washington has ratcheted up sanctions on Tehran, saying it wanted to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to force Tehran to agree a broader arms control accord and has sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in a show of force against what U.S. officials have said are threats to U.S. troops in the region. Slideshow ( 7 images ) Trump on Monday said Iran would “suffer greatly” if it targeted U.S. interests. Tehran has called the U.S. military presence “a target” rather than a threat and has said it will not allow its oil exports to be halted. A fifth of global oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz from Middle East crude producers to major markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond. The narrow waterway separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, designated a terrorist organization by Washington, threatened last month to close the chokepoint if Tehran was barred from using it. Oil prices rose more than $1 a barrel on Monday but then fell with Wall Street as the negative turn in U.S.-Chinese trade talks spooked investors. Brent futures closed down 39 cents at $70.23 a barrel. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said one of the two Saudi vessels was attacked in the UAE economic zone on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude from Ras Tanura port for delivery to state-owned Aramco’s customers in the United States. No oil was spilled but the attack did significant damage to the vessels’ structures, he said. Dubai and Abu Dhabi stock markets suffered their biggest single-day declines in years on Monday, with Dubai falling 4%. Saudi shares lost 3.6%. Sunni Muslim allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE have backed U.S. sanctions against Shi’ite Iran, a fellow OPEC producer but regional foe. After the United States ended sanctions waivers that had allowed some nations to continue importing Iranian crude, Washington said Riyadh and Abu Dhabi would help compensate for any oil shortage. Falih said the attack aimed to undermine maritime freedom and the security of oil supplies. “The international community has a joint responsibility to protect the safety of maritime navigation and the security of oil tankers, to mitigate against the adverse consequences of such incidents on energy markets and the danger they pose to the global economy,” he said.<doc-sep>Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister said on Monday that two Saudi oil tankers had been targeted in a "sabotage attack" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih confirmed in a statement by state-owned Saudi Press Agency that the attack occurred at 6 a.m. local time as the ships were traveling towards the Arabian Gulf. The statement did not provide details on who was behind the attack. The incident comes on the heels of a US Maritime Administration advisory which warned of possible Iranian attacks on commercial ships and oil tankers in the region. Last week, the US said it would be deploying a bomber task force and other military resources in response to a "number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" from Iran. Saudi Arabia's energy minister Khalid al-Falih revealed on Monday that two Saudi oil tankers had been targeted in a "sabotage attack" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. In a statement to state-owned Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the minister confirmed the attack occurred at 6 a.m. local time off the coast of Fujirah, which is part of the UAE, as the ships were travelling towards the Arabian Gulf. "Two Saudi oil tankers were subjected to a sabotage attack in the exclusive economic zone of the United Arab Emirates," Falih said the statement. One of the ships was loaded with crude oil from the port of Ras Tanura, a city in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, and was en route to Saudi Aramco's customers in the US, it added. The attack did not cause any oil spill or injuries, though the structures of the two vessels were significantly damaged, SPA said. The statement did not give details on who may have been behind the attack. On Sunday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said four commercial ships were "sabotaged" near UAE waters in the Gulf of Oman, and an investigation into the incident was underway. It did not give further details of the attack, though it did confirm no injuries or fatalities were reported on board. The attack comes on the heels of a US Maritime Administration advisory which warned of possible Iranian attacks on commercial ships and oil tankers in the region. Read more: Trump's Iran sanctions are 'the ultimate high wire act for oil prices,' analysts say "Since early May, there is an increased possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take action against US and partner interests, including oil production infrastructure, after recently threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz," the statement said, referring to one of the world's most strategic trade routes between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US ending sanctions waivers to several key countries which allowed them to buy oil from Iran. The US has also vowed to cut Iran's oil exports to zero. National security adviser announced last week that the US would be deploying a bomber task force and other military resources in response to a "number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" from Iran. "The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces," Bolton said in a statement.<doc-sep>(CNN) — Four ships were targeted on Sunday near the strategic Emirati port of Fujairah, in what the UAE described as a “sabotage attack.” One was flying a UAE flag, and another the Norwegian flag. The other two were tankers owned by Saudi Arabia, which described the incident as a threat to the security of global oil supplies. There were no injuries or deaths, according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. It did not elaborate on the nature of the alleged sabotage, or offer any indication as to who might be responsible. Tensions have risen in the oil-rich region in recent weeks amid the deployment of a growing number of United States military assets to the Middle East, due to deteriorating relations with Iran. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said Monday that the incidents were “alarming and regrettable,” and requested further information on the alleged sabotage. He also warned against “plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security” and called for “vigilance of regional states in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements.” CNN Images show damage sustained to the hull of Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory. Several US officials are cautioning there is no final conclusion on how the ships were damaged. One US official pointed out the lack of detail from the UAE and Saudi Arabia about how the ships were damaged. In a tweet, Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said investigations in the incident were ongoing but that the government had its “own readings and conclusions.” “The international community (needs to) assume its responsibilities to prevent any parties trying to undermine the security and safety of maritime traffic,” the ministry said. What we know The incident took place near UAE territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of the emirate of Fujairah, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said. The ministry added that authorities were working with local and international bodies to investigate the incident, which it described as a “dangerous development.” Images that CNN captured of the Norwegian tanker, Andrea Victory, show damage sustained to the hull of the vessel. In a statement Monday, Thome Ship Management, which manages the ship, confirmed it suffered hull damage after being struck by an unknown object at the waterline and said that it was not in any danger of sinking. One of the Saudi vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil from the port of Ras Tanura, to be delivered to customers in the US, Saudi Arabia’s state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Monday. While the agency didn’t mention casualties or oil spills, it did say there had been “significant damage to the structures of the two vessels.” On Monday, the UAE formally asked the US for technical assistance in assessing the vessels’ damage, according to a US official. The US experts will look at the damage patterns, try to recover any material from the site, and determine if some kind of missile or weapon hit the ships. KARIM SAHIB/AFP//Getty Images A Monday photo shows the oil tanker "Amjad," one of two Saudi-owned vessels Riyadh says were sabotaged. Rumblings about Iran Last week, the US Maritime Administration issued an advisory that “Iran or its proxies” could be targeting commercial vessels and oil production infrastructure in the region. The warning followed Iran’s announcement that it was partially withdrawing from a landmark nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which the US itself unilaterally exited one year ago. US Air Force F-15s and F-35s, along with B-52 bombers, are now flying visible air patrols over the Persian Gulf, according to a US official, who said that the flights were designed to demonstrate to both Iran and US allies that US forces are in a deterrence mode. Several officials say that the US is continuing to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) flights in the Middle East. Also on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceled a planned visit to Moscow on Monday and flew to Brussels for talks on Iran with his counterparts from the UK, Germany, France. Asked later that day if the US was going to war with Iran and if the US was seeking regime change there, Trump said, “We’ll see what happens with Iran.” The Strait of Hormuz: A strategic passage Iran borders the Persian Gulf (also known as the Arabian Gulf) and the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway. The US Energy Information Administration calls the Strait of Hormuz “the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint,” with an estimated 20% of oil traded worldwide moving through the channel, which is about 30 miles wide at its narrowest point. Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih described the incident as a deliberate attempt to “undermine the freedom of maritime navigation, and the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world.” A senior source at Saudi Arabia’s ministry of energy told CNN that the attacks were particularly alarming because the tankers were targeted outside the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices rose by nearly 2% at one point on Monday in the wake of the Saudi claims of sabotage. UAE denied earlier reports The accusations of sabotage come less than 24 hours after the UAE government denied reports alleging that seven oil tankers were involved in an explosion in the port of Fujairah on Sunday morning. The reports were carried first by Lebanon’s pro-Hezbollah Al-Mayadeen satellite channel and later picked up by Iran’s state-owned Press TV and other outlets. “The operations at the port are going as normal,” a statement from the Emirates News Agency said Sunday. “Media outlets must be responsible and rely on official sources.” CNN The "Al-Marzoqah" tanker belongs to the privately-owned Dubai-based Red Sea Marine Services firm, which was established in Jeddah in 1987. In a statement Sunday, the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned those reported “sabotage operations,” with council General Secretary Abdul Latif bin Rashid al-Zayani calling the incident a “dangerous escalation (that) speaks of the evil intentions” of whoever carried out the attack. CNN’s Mohammed Elshamy and Karen Smith in Atlanta, Nada AlTaher in Abu Dhabi and Barbara Starr in Washington, DC contributed to this article.<doc-sep>
Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two Saudi oil tankers were attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, condemning it as an attempt to undermine the security of crude supplies amid heightened U.S.-Iranian tensions. The UAE said on Sunday that four commercial vessels were sabotaged near Fujairah emirate, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz, but did not say who was behind the attack or describe the nature of it. Iran, embroiled in an escalating war of words with the United States over sanctions and the U.S. military's presence in the region, moved on Monday to distance itself. The foreign ministry called the incidents "worrisome and dreadful" and asked for an investigation into the matter. A senior Iranian lawmaker said "saboteurs from a third country" could be behind it, after saying on Sunday that the incident showed that the security of Gulf states is fragile. In a sign of concern about rising tensions, Britain's Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt warned of the risks of "a conflict happening by accident" with an unintended escalation between Washington and Tehran over an unraveling nuclear deal. Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih attends a press conference at the end of the 13th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) of OPEC and non- OPEC countries in Baku on March 18, 2019. Mladen ANTONOV | AFP A fifth of global oil consumption passes through the Strait from Middle East crude producers to major markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond. Iran's Revolutionary Guards, which has been designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, threatened last month to close the chokepoint if Tehran is barred from using it. Oil prices rose on Monday, with Brent crude futures trading up 1.1% at $71.77 a barrel. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said in a statement that one of the two Saudi vessels attacked was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude from Ras Tanura port for delivery to state-owned Saudi Aramco's customers in the United States. The attack did not lead to any casualties or an oil spill but caused significant damage to the vessels' structures, he said. INTERTANKO, an association of independent tanker owners and operators, said in a note that it has seen photos showing that "at least two ships have holes in their sides due to the impact of a weapon." Trading and shipping sources identified the Saudi vessels as Bahri-owned very large crude carrier (VLCC) tanker Amjad and crude tanker Al Marzoqah. Bahri did not respond to a request for comment. The UAE foreign ministry has said there were no casualties and the Fujairah port operations were normal. An investigation had been launched in coordination with international authorities, it said, calling on global powers to prevent any parties trying to harm maritime safety and security. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry in a separate statement voiced support for the UAE, the Middle East's trade and business hub. Gulf stock markets fell on Monday, with Dubai down 2.6% and the Saudi index down over 2%. Escalating tensions