Saudi Arabia said on Monday two of its oil tankers came under "sabotage attack" off the UAE coast, causing significant damage to the structures.
The attack took place "in the exclusive economic zone of the United Arab Emirates, off the coast of the Emirate of Fujairah, while on their way to cross into the Arabian Gulf," Khalid Al Falih, Saudi Arabia's energy minister, was >quoted as saying.
Fortunately enough, the attack - which has been described as a "dangerous threat to the safety of navigation" - did not result in an oil spill or any casualties. Officials have not yet revealed who was behind the sabotage.
The two vessels were headed towards Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura port, where they were meant to be loaded with crude oil and delivered to customers in the United States.
On Sunday, the UAE announced that four commercial cargo ships had been targeted. The UAE foreign ministry released a statement saying that the vessels were "civilian trading vessels of various nationalities." It also added that the incident is being investigated by local and international bodies.
The statement came hours after several media outlets in Iran and Lebanon reported false explosions at Fujairah port.
It remains unclear if the Saudi vessels belong to the same incident reported on Sunday. But, rising tensions are evident in the oil-rich region as U.S. military assets are being deployed following "deteriorating relations with Iran."