The Red Sea has become the latest flashpoint in the ongoing geopolitical tensions, as a Greek-flagged oil tanker, the Sounion, was engulfed in flames on Friday, following an attack earlier this week by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The vessel, which had been abandoned by its crew, now drifts perilously, threatening both navigation and the environment in one of the world's most critical maritime corridors.
The fires aboard the Sounion erupted just days after the Houthis, a Yemen-based militant group aligned with Iran, launched a series of assaults on the vessel as part of their broader campaign against shipping in the Red Sea. This campaign, ostensibly in support of Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, has targeted over 80 vessels since October, disrupting a vital trade route that handles approximately $1 trillion in goods annually.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that three distinct fires were observed on the Sounion late Friday. The fires have led to the tanker drifting in the Red Sea, raising alarms over a potential environmental disaster. The Sounion carries 150,000 tons of crude oil, making the situation increasingly dire as experts warn of the catastrophic impact of a possible oil spill in the region.
YEMEN | VIDEO |#Houthi forces attacked and destroyed Thursday 22, using a missile, the Greek oil tanker "Sounion" in the Red Sea (capacity of 150,000 tonnes of oil). The crew of the Tanker was evacuated by the French navy which came under fire from a Houthi kamikaze drone. pic.twitter.com/2Uj8xZ3bxg — Nanana365 (@nanana365media) August 23, 2024
The Sounion's predicament has drawn significant concern from international authorities. The European Union's Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea labeled the vessel a "navigational and environmental hazard," urging all maritime operators in the vicinity to exercise extreme caution. The vessel had been anchored between Yemen and Eritrea after its crew of 25, including Filipinos and Russians, along with four private security personnel, were evacuated by a French destroyer to Djibouti.
Djibouti's Ports & Free Zones Authority echoed these concerns, stating on social media, "A potential spill could lead to disastrous consequences for the region's marine environment." Comparisons are being drawn to the 1979 Atlantic Empress spill, one of the largest recorded ship-source spills, which saw 287,000 tons of oil leak into the Caribbean Sea.
The Houthis have yet to publicly acknowledge the fires aboard the Sounion, but they released footage late Friday showing an explosion on the tanker's deck, accompanied by chants of their militant slogans. An analysis of the footage suggests that the fires were likely caused by planted explosives, rather than a missile or drone strike, indicating a deliberate act of sabotage.
This attack on the Sounion is the latest in a string of aggressive moves by the Houthis, who have targeted ships linked to Israel, the U.S., and the U.K. as part of their protest against Israel's actions in Gaza. However, the Houthis' campaign has also affected vessels with no direct connection to the conflict, exacerbating the risk to international shipping and raising tensions across the region.
In response to the increasing threat posed by the Houthis, the U.S. has ramped up its military presence in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group has been expedited to the area, joining other U.S. naval forces, including the USS Georgia-guided missile submarine and the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group. Additional F-22 fighter jets have also been deployed to reinforce the U.S. military's posture in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military's Central Command announced early Saturday that it had destroyed a Houthi missile system in Yemen, signaling a more aggressive stance against the rebel group's escalating attacks.
