Additional Coverage:
- Iran says Yemen’s Houthi rebels will allow tugboats and rescue ships to aid tanker ablaze in Red Sea (newsbreak.com)
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have agreed to permit the entry of tugboats and rescue vessels to help a Greek-flagged oil tanker currently on fire in the Red Sea, citing humanitarian and environmental reasons, according to a statement from Iran’s U.N. Mission issued late Wednesday.
The Pentagon had previously reported on Tuesday that the Houthis, supported by Iran, had obstructed efforts by an unnamed third party to dispatch two tugboats to aid the burning tanker Sounion. Air Force Maj.
Gen. Pat Ryder expressed concerns to journalists over the Houthis’ indifference to both human safety and the looming environmental threat posed by the incident.
The recent attack on the Sounion is the most severe in a series of assaults by the Houthi rebels, who have been targeting vessels navigating through the Red Sea due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Such attacks have not only interrupted the trade worth around $1 trillion ordinarily transiting through this area but have also stopped some humanitarian aid destined for conflict-affected areas in Sudan and Yemen.
According to Iran’s U.N. Mission, the tanker was transporting oil to Israel at the time of the incident.
Maj. Gen. Ryder also highlighted that the Sounion is now leaking oil into the Red Sea, which is a critical habitat for coral reefs and diverse marine life.
The tanker is carrying approximately 150,000 tons of crude oil, posing significant navigational and environmental risks, the European Union’s Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea reported last Thursday.
Following the blaze and associated environmental risks, various nations contacted the Houthis seeking a ceasefire to allow rescue efforts at the scene, Iran’s U.N. Mission revealed, stating that the Houthis, or “Ansar Allah” as officially known, agreed to this request.
Details on when the ceasefire will commence were not provided.
Last week, the tanker was subject to multiple attacks. Subsequently, a French destroyer part of Operation Aspides rescued the crew of 25 along with four private security officers, transporting them to Djibouti.
Since the Gaza conflict began in October, the Houthis have launched attacks on over 80 vessels using missiles and drones, claiming to target ships associated with Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. to pressure an end to Israel’s actions in Gaza. Nonetheless, many of these ships have few or no links to the conflict, including some vessels en route to Iran.
The report originated from New York, where correspondent Weissenstein covered the events.