Houthi Attack on Oil Tanker Sparks Red Sea Environmental Fears

Aug 27, 2024 | Steven Ganot
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An Iranian-backed Houthi militia attack on the Greek oil tanker Sounion off the coast of Al Hudaydah in Yemen has sparked fears of an environmental disaster in the Red Sea, reports Hudhaifa Ebrahim. The tanker, carrying over 150,000 tons of oil, has been burning for more than four days, and its deteriorating condition raises the risk of a major oil spill. While Houthi forces claim the tanker was targeted for its ties to Israel, Iraqi media disputes this, stating the ship was transporting oil from Iraq to Greece. The attack is the latest in a series of over 100 Houthi assaults on vessels in the region this year, despite the efforts of the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian alliance to protect maritime traffic.