A shipping company reported that one of its Singapore-flagged tankers, the BW Rhine, had “been hit from an external source whilst discharging at Jeddah”. Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry indicated that “an explosive-laden boat” had been used in the incident, and a spokesperson asserted that “these acts of terrorism and vandalism, directed against vital installations, go beyond the Kingdom and its vital facilities to the security of energy supplies to the world and global economy”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently condemned “any destructive action against maritime security and freedom of international trade” and “expressed hope that countries in the region would increase their efforts to strengthen cooperation on maritime security, combating pirates and countering the trade in banned substances”.