Mubasher: An Iranian oil carrier has been hit by two suspected missile attacks close to Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah earlier on Friday, causing oil to leak into the Red Sea, Sky News reported, citing Iran’s state media.

The attack was on board a vessel owned by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

The vessel was identified as Sabiti, a Suezmax ship, following initial reports that it was identified as the Sinopa, another Suezmax vessel, Reuters said, citing Iranian media as quoting a statement by NIOC.

The Sabiti’s last reported position on 14 August was off the southern coast of Iran in the Gulf, according to Refinitiv ship tracing data.

Moreover, the Sinopa was in the Red Sea, as per the data last updated on 10 October.

The oil company said that “two missiles hit the Iran-owned ship near the Jeddah port city of Saudi Arabia,” Iranian state news outlet ISNA was quoted by Sky News.

The explosion was believed to be a terrorist attack, ISNA said, citing experts.

Moreover, the explosion resulted in severe damage to the vessel, which was spilling oil into the Red Sea.

The tanker’s crew was reported to be safe, Sky News cited Nour News, an agency close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Tensions were already high in the Red Sea shipping area, following strikes against major Saudi Arabia’s oil installations in mid-September and preceding attacks on tankers in the Gulf region in May and June.

The US accused Iran of perpetrating the attacks as well as the drone strikes against the Saudi crude processing facilities.