Houthi Rebels Attack Greek Oil Tanker in Red Sea, Raising Environmental Concerns

On Thursday, Yemen’s Houthi rebels released footage showing their fighters boarding the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion and placing explosives on it. The footage depicted the rebels chanting slogans as they detonated the explosives, causing significant concern over a potential oil spill in the Red Sea. The attack follows repeated assaults on the vessel by the Houthis, which had forced the crew to abandon the ship.

The Sounion, which was carrying about 1 million barrels of oil, was first targeted by the Houthis on August 21 with small arms fire, projectiles, and a drone boat. A French destroyer, part of the European Union’s Operation Aspides, subsequently rescued the crew and private security personnel and transported them to safety in Djibouti. The footage released shows the rebels rigging explosives on the tanker’s deck, leading to several simultaneous blasts.

The Houthi’s attack on the Sounion is the most significant in recent weeks and aligns with their broader campaign to disrupt Red Sea shipping lanes amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. This disruption has also impacted aid shipments to Sudan and Yemen. The Houthis’ actions reflect their broader strategy of targeting maritime traffic to advance their political and ideological goals.

The international community, including the EU and the UN, has expressed concerns about the potential environmental damage from an oil spill. The EU’s naval force is preparing to take action to prevent an environmental crisis, while the UN is working to facilitate a safe salvage operation for the tanker. Despite the rebels’ initial obstruction, there is cautious optimism that the operation to address the situation will proceed.

The Houthis have a history of using the threat of environmental disaster as leverage, as seen in their previous obstruction of the UN’s efforts to address a similar situation with the oil tanker Safer.

The group’s attacks on maritime targets have intensified since the conflict in Gaza began, targeting vessels linked to perceived adversaries like Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. In response, the U.S. military has taken measures to neutralize Houthi threats, including destroying a missile system and drone.