Staff writer, Al Arabiya, 19 June 2017 – Saudi Arabia’s naval forces say they have detained and are currently questioning three men believed to be Iranian Revolutionary Guards after their armed boat attempted to breach their territorial waters on Friday.
An official source stated that at 20:28 on June 16, three small boats, bearing red and white flags, entered the Saudi territorial waters in the Arabian Gulf. Saudi navy forces were able to capture one boat while the other two escaped.
“They headed at speed towards platforms of Saudi oil field of Marjan. Immediately, the Saudi naval forces fired warning shots, but the boats did not respond. Consequently, one of the boats was captured which was loaded with weapons for subversive purpose, while the other two escaped,” a statement on Saudi Press Agency read.
A statement released by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Informational and Culture quoted a navy source as saying that the attack was apparently carried as a terrorist operation aimed at causing serious damage to life and property.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stresses its determination to combat and eradicate terrorism and its sources, as a part of the country’s permanent objective to protect its national security against any external aggression,” the statement added.
