Saudi Arabia thwarts unmanned boat attack on oil facility near Yemen
Saudi authorities said on Wednesday they had intercepted an unmanned boat rigged with explosives that was sent by Yemeni Houthi rebels to target an oil plant on the kingdom's southwestern coast.
The boat, sent from a small island off the Yemeni coast, was targeting a petroleum products distribution terminal run by Saudi oil giant Aramco when it was intercepted, said the interior ministry.
"The boat was spotted when it departed from a small island in Yemeni waters and gained speed after entering Saudi waters," the ministry said according to news24 .
Explosive material
After determining that the boat was unmanned, a coast guard unit opened fire on its engine and stopped it nearly 3km from the terminal in the southern Jazan region, the statement said.
The boat was loaded with "strong explosive material," it said.
The ministry vowed to foil all "terrorist attempts" against the kingdom and to "reach those behind them from the Huthi militias".
Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab coalition that in March 2015 launched a military campaign against Iran-backed Yemeni rebels in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.