Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has urged the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Arab League to gather for extraordinary summits in the city of Mecca on May 30 in the wake of a recent attack on the country's oil facilities and sabotage against several tankers off the UAE coast, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday, citing a Foreign Ministry source
CAIRO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2019) Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has urged the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Arab League to gather for extraordinary summits in the city of Mecca on May 30 in the wake of a recent attack on the country's oil facilities and sabotage against several tankers off the UAE coast, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday, citing a Foreign Ministry source.
It is noteworthy that on May 30, Mecca is also to host a high-level meeting of the leaders of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The news comes as tensions in the region flared up over the week. On May 12, two oil tankers from Saudi Arabia and two other vessels were targeted by a mysterious attack in the United Arab Emirates' exclusive economic zone.�Even though no one has claimed responsibility for the sabotage, the United States has reportedly suggested that sanctions-battered Iran, which has now entered a new phase of tensions with Washington, might have been behind the attack.
On Tuesday, Yemeni Houthi rebels carried out drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, causing fire and minor damage. The Houthis have called it the largest military operation conducted by the rebels against Saudi Arabia since the start of their armed conflict with the Riyadh-backed Yemeni government. The kingdom has vowed to retaliate against the attacks of the Houthis, who, it believes, are backed by Iran. Tehran, however, has repeatedly denied having any role in the Yemen conflict. �
