Egypt has condemned an attack by an explosive-laden boat on a Saudi oil tanker on Monday, according to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry. The Egyptian statement underscored the country's "strong rejection" of any terror attacks that target the regional waters and vital facilities of the kingdom, saying that the attack represents "a threat to the Gulf country's stability and security as well as to the safety and freedom of navigation and international trade." Egypt also reaffirmed its solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for any measures taken by the kingdom to safeguard its security and stability in the face of all kinds of terrorism and its supporters. An unnamed official at Saudi Arabia's energy ministry said, in statements reported by the official Saudi Arabia agency SPA, that the attack targeted a ship anchored in the fuel terminal in Jeddah early this morning, resulting in a small fire. Monday's incident is the latest in a number of attacks on Saudi facilities, including an attack in November on a ship at a petroleum products distribution station in north Jeddah, and an attack in September on a floating unloading platform at a petroleum products distribution station in Jizan. Both attacks were carried out by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, according to the SPA. Egypt has repeatedly expressed its full support for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, saying the Iran-backed movement's practices further inflame the situation in Yemen.
