Fires Break Out on Greek Oil Tanker Sounion in Red Sea Amid Houthi Rebel Attacks
Fires break out on the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea, following an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The vessel, carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, is now adrift and poses significant navigational and environmental hazards.
Dubai, Bollywood Fever: Fires erupted on the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion on Friday, just days after it was attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The vessel, now adrift in the Red Sea, had been abandoned by its crew the previous day and was reportedly anchored in place when the incident occurred.
The circumstances surrounding the fire are not yet fully clear, but reports indicate that three separate fires were observed on the tanker.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center alerted mariners to the situation late Friday night, stating, “The vessel appears to be drifting.”
A U.S. defense official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the situation, confirmed that American authorities are monitoring the fires.
The Sounion, carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, has been described as a significant “navigational and environmental hazard” by the European Union’s Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea.
The Houthi rebels, who have escalated their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, have not immediately acknowledged responsibility for the fire on the Sounion.
However, late Friday night, the group released footage showing an explosion striking the tanker, accompanied by chants of their slogan. An analysis of the video suggests that the explosion was caused by planted explosives, rather than a missile or drone strike.
The Houthi rebels have targeted more than 80 vessels since the Israel-Hamas war began in October, seizing one ship, sinking two others, and killing four sailors.
They maintain that their attacks are aimed at vessels linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., in an effort to pressure an end to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
However, many of the attacked ships, including the Sounion, have had little or no direct connection to the conflict.
In response to the growing threat in the region, the U.S. military has increased its presence. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group has been directed to the area, joining the USS Georgia-guided missile submarine and the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group, which is currently in the Gulf of Oman.
Additional F-22 fighter jets have also been deployed, and the USS Wasp, an amphibious assault ship carrying F-35 fighter jets, is in the Mediterranean Sea.
Early Saturday, the U.S. Central Command announced that it had destroyed a Houthi missile system in Yemen within the last 24 hours, signaling a continued escalation of military efforts to counter the rebel group’s activities in the region.
As the situation develops, the fires on the Sounion highlight the ongoing risks to shipping and the potential for environmental disaster in one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors. Authorities continue to monitor the drifting vessel and are urging caution to all nearby maritime traffic.
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