Houthi rebels attack oil tanker in Red Sea, risking disaster
- The Houthi rebels attacked the MV Delta Sounion, an oil tanker carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil, near Hudaydah, Yemen.
- All crew members were evacuated safely, and while the ship suffered fires and lost power, there was no reported oil spill.
- The attack has led to significant disruptions in global trade, increasing shipping costs and transit times, and has severely impacted the Suez Canal's traffic.
On Thursday, Yemen's Houthi rebels launched an attack on the Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Delta Sounion in the Red Sea, which was carrying approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil. The vessel was en route to Greece from Iraq when it was struck by projectiles near Hudaydah, a port city controlled by the Houthis. Fortunately, all 25 crew members, consisting of 23 Filipinos and 2 Russians, were evacuated without casualties, although the ship suffered significant damage and lost engine power. The Houthis claimed the attack was part of their ongoing campaign to support Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict, specifically targeting Israeli-linked shipping. Following the incident, the U.S., U.K., and European Union deployed warships to the Red Sea to counter the Houthi threat, leading to heightened naval engagements reminiscent of World War II. The Houthi leadership celebrated the operation, asserting it would economically impact their adversaries. Despite the fires reported on the tanker, the EU mission Eunavfor Aspides stated there was no oil spill, and the vessel remained anchored. The Houthi spokesman indicated that efforts to tow the ship could commence soon. The ongoing Houthi campaign has severely disrupted global trade in the Red Sea, forcing vessels to reroute around Africa, resulting in increased transit times and shipping costs. As a consequence of these disruptions, traffic through the Suez Canal has halved, and the port of Eilat in Israel is nearing bankruptcy. The situation underscores the escalating tensions in the region and the potential for environmental disaster if the situation worsens.