Saudi Arabia Says 2 Oil Tankers Damaged in Sabotage Attacks – The New York Times

According to an Iranian state news agency, the Islamic Republic News Agency, a spokesman for the country’s Foreign Ministry seemed to brush away any suggestions that Iran was behind the sabotage, warning “against any conspiracy orchestrated by ill-wishers to undermine stability and security in the region.”

The spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, expressed concern about the apparent sabotage, the news agency reported, saying on Monday that a “regretful incident happened for some ships on Sunday.”

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, is the world’s most important narrow passage for oil shipments. The United States Energy Information Administration estimated in 2016 that nearly a third of all seaborne-traded crude oil and liquid petroleum products goes through the strait. Exports from key producers such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait move through the strait, so any threat of disruption is likely to alarm oil traders.

Fujairah, the emirate where the sabotage apparently occurred, is a vital fueling point for tankers and other shipping.