Saudi Arabia says that it has rescued an injured sailor from a ship in the Red Sea belonging to its arch-rival Iran. The incident is even more unusual given that authorities in Riyadh have accused the Iranians of using the M/V Saviz to aid Houthi rebels in their fight against the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The medical evacuation also comes amid an uptick in Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia proper, as well as attacks on tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, which the Saudis, as well as the United States, have blamed on Iran and its regional proxies. In addition, the U.S. government continues to issue vague warnings about the increased potential for Iranian attacks on American interests, and those of its allies, throughout the Middle East. Saudi Arabian Colonel Turki Al Maliki announced the operation publicly on June 4, 2019. He said that pararescue personnel from the Saudi military had flown to the Saviz, which was anchored approximately 95 miles northwest of Hodeida, a highly contested Yemeni port city, and retrieved the injured individual. Saudi forces then flew them to a military hospital in Saudi Arabia's port city of Jizan, further to the north. Saudi Arabia has not indicated it has any plans to detain the sailor, but it is unclear how and when they might be repatriated to Iran after they recover.

Al Maliki did not say what Saudi military aircraft were involved, but the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) operates French-made AS532 Cougar helicopters in the combat search and rescue role. Some of these helicopters are also capable of refueling in flight with the help of the RSAF's KC-130 Hercules tankers, though, with a range of more than 350 miles, they may have been able to fly from Jizan to the Saviz and back without support.

Google Maps A map showing Jizan in the north, Hodeidah in the south, and the approximate location of the M/V Saviz in the Red Sea.

Government of Saudi Arabia

Government of Saudi Arabia