Two Saudi oil tankers sabotaged

Unspecified acts of sabotage against two Saudi oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates raised fears Monday about the security of global oil supplies. The United States warned last week that “Iran or its proxies” could target commercial vessels and oil production infrastructure in the Middle East amid worsening relations with the United States. The U.S. Maritime Administration issued a new alert on Monday morning to maritime traffic to exercise caution.

The incidents caused significant damage to the vessels but did not result in a spill or any deaths, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said in a statement. Saudi Arabia did not identify potential suspects in the attacks. A Norwegian oil tanker on Monday also reported a puncture in its hull from an unknown object while off the coast of the UAE on Sunday but was “not in any danger of sinking,” according to Thome Ship Management.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the attack “worrisome and dreadful” and requested more information.

The incident drew condemnation from Egypt, Bahrain, and Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The Saudi Foreign Ministry warned the “criminal acts” threaten the “safety of maritime traffic, which reflects negatively on regional and international peace and security.”