Houthi operatives have filmed themselves detonating explosives on an abandoned merchant tanker in the Red Sea, causing the ship to catch fire and risking a potential oil spill. The Greek-flagged MV Sounion was attacked multiple times by the Houthis last week, leaving the tanker without power and stranded in the water. A French warship operating in the area had to rescue the crew of the Sounion.
The Sounion, which was carrying the equivalent of 1 million barrels of crude oil from Iraq to Greece, has been on fire since Friday, posing a threat of an environmental disaster according to warnings from the US and European Union. The Houthis released footage showing rebel operatives on board the Sounion, with visible holes on the vessel's exterior suggesting it was hit by multiple explosives.
The Houthis claim their attacks on merchant vessels are in support of Palestinians and in protest of Israel's actions in Gaza, but US officials dispute this claim. Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder described the attacks as "reckless acts of terrorism" that endanger global and regional commerce, civilian mariners, and the maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The EU's counter-Houthi mission, Operation Aspides, reported multiple fires on the Sounion but stated that there was no oil spill and the ship was still anchored and not drifting. Satellite imagery showed an oil slick near the vessel, raising concerns about a potential environmental crisis. The US State Department warned that the Houthi attacks on the Sounion could lead to the spill of 1 million barrels of oil into the Red Sea, a disaster four times the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have been launching missiles and drones into the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to target vessels transiting key shipping lanes. The US Navy and European navies have deployed warships in the region to ensure safe passage for commercial vessels and deter hostile actions. However, the American naval presence in the Red Sea has recently decreased.