Yemen’s Housthis have now claimed the attack on a Greek-flagged oil tanker in the Red Sea.
Fire broke out on a Greek-flagged oil tanker, Sounion, which had been attacked earlier in the week by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The vessel, now seemingly adrift in the Red Sea, was abandoned by its crew on Thursday and was reportedly anchored before the incident.
The attack is part of a broader campaign by the Houthis, who have targeted shipping in the Red Sea amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, disrupting a crucial trade route that typically handles $1 trillion in goods annually.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported the fires late Friday, noting that “three fires have been observed on the vessel” and that it appeared to be drifting. A U.S. defense official confirmed that American authorities were aware of the situation and were monitoring it closely.
The Sounion, carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, poses a significant navigational and environmental risk. The European Union’s Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea warned that extreme caution is necessary to avoid exacerbating the situation.
The Houthis later released footage showing an explosion on the Sounion, with fighters chanting the group’s slogan in the background. An analysis of the video suggested that three simultaneous explosions struck the vessel’s deck, indicating the use of planted explosives rather than a missile or drone strike.
Since the onset of the war in Gaza in October, the Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels, seizing one and sinking two, resulting in the deaths of four sailors. The Tutor, one of the sunken ships, was destroyed after the Houthis planted explosives aboard it following an earlier attack.
While the Houthis claim to target ships linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. to pressure Israel to cease its operations in Gaza, many of the targeted vessels have no connection to the conflict.
In response to rising tensions, the U.S. military has directed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to expedite its arrival in the region. Additionally, the USS Georgia guided missile submarine and the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group have been deployed to the area, with the USS Wasp, carrying F-35 fighter jets, positioned in the Mediterranean Sea. Early Saturday, U.S. Central Command reported destroying a Houthi missile system in Yemen.
