An Iranian oil tanker has been hit by two rockets near the Saudi port city of Jeddah, according to Iranian state news agency ISNA.
The agency said the attack was on board a vessel named the Sabiti which belongs to the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).
ISNA reported it is could be considered a terrorist attack and that the explosion had caused extensive damage to the tanker, which was spilling oil into the Red Sea. It was contained after a few hours.
Two missiles reportedly hit the ship, Iranian state TV said, citing NIOC.
The crew on board the vessel are safe, according to Nour News, another Iranian news agency.
The tanker began to burn early on Friday morning around about 60 miles (96 km) from Jeddah.
Oil prices spiked by 2% when the news broke.
Lt. Pete Pagano, a spokesman for the US Navy's 5th Fleet, which oversees the Middle East, said they were "aware of reports of this incident."
No statement has been issued yet by the Saudi Arabian authorities.
This attack follows a stand off between Iran, the UK and the US over the positioning of oil tankers, an alleged attack on tankers, and a month on from the air strikes on Saudi oil facilities.
This includes in June when Iran was accused by the UK and US of attacking two oil tankers as footage emerged allegedly showing Iran's Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the tankers. Iran denied involvement.
In July, a British-flagged oil tanker named the Stena Impero was seized by Iran over alleged marine violations.
It was an apparent retaliation to an Iranian oil tanker being detained off the coast of Gibraltar by British Royal Marines two weeks before. It was feared the Adrian Darya-1 was transporting oil to Syria in a breach of international sanctions.
The vessel - formerly known as Grace 1 - was released despite America's protests and subsequently spotted near a port in Syria.
The oil tanker disputes were followed by an air strike against Saudi Arabia's oil faculties in September.
The attack, which impacted 5% of the world's energy supply, was claimed by the Houthis, who a Saudi-led coalition are locked in a war with. However, Saudi Arabia has publicly accused Iran of being behind the attack, something Iran denies.
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