Saudi oil tankers 'sabotaged' in the Gulf

Two Saudi oil tankers were the targets of a "sabotage attack" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, Saudi Arabia's energy minister says.

The incident near Fujairah port caused "significant damage" to the vessels, Khalid al-Falih said in a statement.

The UAE said four ships of various nationalities had been hit. There were no injuries or deaths, BBC reports.   

The Iranian foreign ministry said the incidents were "worrisome and dreadful" and called for a full investigation.

Tensions are high in the area, through which about a fifth of oil that is consumed globally passes.

The US has deployed additional warships there in recent days to counter what it called "clear indications" of threats from Iran to its forces and maritime traffic in the region. Iran dismissed the allegation as nonsense.