The Sounion has 150,000 tonnes of crude oil on board and poses a “danger to navigation and the environment”, the EU Aspides naval mission declared on Thursday.
On Friday it was declared a fire in an oil tanker of the Greek flag, which seems to be drifting in the Red Seaaccording to authorities. It was not clear what had happened to the oil tanker Sounion after its crew abandoned it on Thursday and anchored it.
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the fire, but they have been waging a campaign against shipping in the Red Sea for months due to ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have disrupted a trade route through which goods worth a trillion euros usually pass annually.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) reported the fires in a note to boaters on Friday evening. “UKMTO has received a report that three fires have been observed on the vessel,” the center said. “The ship appears to be drifting.”
A U.S. defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said U.S. officials were aware of the fires and were continuing to monitor the situation.
The ship had a crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security members, who were transferred by a French destroyer to nearby Djibouti, the European Union’s Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea reported Thursday.
El Sounion has 150,000 tons of crude oil on board and represents a “danger to navigation and the environment,” the mission warned. “It is essential that everyone in the area exercise caution and refrain from any action that could lead to a deterioration of the current situation.”
The Houthis are behind the explosion and fire
Late Friday night, the Houthis released footage of an explosion hitting the Sounion, their fighters in the water in the distance chanting the group’s slogan: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse to the Jews; victory of Islam.”
A frame-by-frame analysis of the video by The Associated Press suggests that three simultaneous explosions They hit the deck of the Sounion. That signature suggests an attack carried out with planted explosivesrather than a missile or drone attack.
The Houthis have attacked more than 80 ships with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza began in October. They seized a ship in which four sailors also died. One of the sunken ships, the Tutor, sank after Houthis placed explosives on boardafter its crew abandoned ship due to a previous attack, as the rebel group later acknowledged.
Others missiles and droneshave been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or have not achieved their objectives.
Rebels say they attack ships linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom to force an end to the Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
The United States takes action on the matter and reinforces the area
As Iran threatens to retaliate against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, the US military told the Hamas strike group aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to navigate more quickly to the area.
Early Thursday, the US military’s Central Command said the Lincoln had arrived in Middle Eastern waters, without providing further details.
Washington has also ordered the movement to the region of the guided missile submarine USS Georgiawhile the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group was in the Gulf of Oman.
Others F-22 fighters have flown to the region and the USS Wasp, a large amphibious assault ship that carries F-35 fightersis located in the Mediterranean Sea. Early Saturday, the U.S. military’s Central Command said it had destroyed a Houthi missile system in Yemen in the last 24 hours.
