Iranian Oil Tanker Engulfed In Fire After Being Hit By Two Rockets In Red Sea Close To Saudi Port City Of Jeddah 

In an incident which has the potential to worsen already tense relations between Iran and its arch rival Saudi Arabia, an oil tanker called ‘Sabity’ from the former has been set ablaze after being hit by two rockets while travelling in the Red Sea close to the Saudi port city of Jeddah, reports Associated Press.

The tanker ,belonging to Iran's National Iranian Tanker Co. was struck in waters close to the city of Jeddah. This particular vessel had strangely not been giving out its tracking signals for the last few months, beginning in August of this year.

This follows the devastating 2019 Abqaiq–Khurais attacks on Saudi Aramco oil refining facilities in Saudi Arabia; the attacks were widely blamed on either Iran or the Houthi rebels in Yemen which Tehran supports.

Prior to that, there were a number of international tanker seizures in the Strait of Hormuz, incidents which created fear among the international community and the Gulf States that the critical oil supply route could be jeopardised as relations with Iran soured.

Iran for its part wants the United States and other Western governments to stick by the nuclear deal signed by former president Barack Obama, but Trump has refused to back down on painful economic sanctions which have crippled the Iranian economy.