Houthi rebels release footage of oil tanker explosion in Red Sea amid fears of ‘catastrophic’ impact on marine life

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), three fires broke out on a Greek-flagged oil tanker in the Red Sea after Iran-backed Houthi militias attacked the ship and evacuated its crew.

The tanker was first damaged on Wednesday when repeated attacks by the Houthis caused a fire and a loss of engine power. The ship's 25-member crew were later rescued by a European warship. The tanker remained anchored unmanned in the waters between Yemen and Eritrea, according to a maritime security source who spoke to the ship. Reuters.

On Friday, UKMTO issued an alert with reports of three fires on the vessel, adding that the ship now “appears to be adrift.” It is not yet clear what happened on the tanker before the fires.

On the same day, the Houthis posted a video on social media purporting to show their forces setting the tanker on fire. The Independent has not independently verified the video.

According to the EU marine mission Aspides in the Red Sea, the Sounion, loaded with 150,000 tons of crude oil, now poses a significant threat to the environment.

The group warned of a possible catastrophic oil spill that could destroy the region's marine ecosystem. The Djibouti Ports & Free Zones Authority shared the concerns, stating on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that such an oil spill could have “catastrophic consequences.”

The Sounion is the third tanker belonging to Athens-based Delta Tankers to be attacked by the Houthis this month. The Houthis justified the attack by accusing Delta Tankers of violating their ban on entering “the ports of occupied Palestine,” their military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised address.

Delta Tankers said in a brief statement on Friday that it was doing everything possible to secure the ship and its cargo, but declined to provide further details for security reasons.

The recent attack on the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion is the latest in a series of increasingly bold operations by Yemen's Houthi rebels and part of a larger campaign that has led to an escalation of tensions around the Red Sea.

Over the past decade, the Iran-backed Houthis have stepped up efforts to disrupt commercial shipping in the region, particularly targeting vessels linked to countries they view as adversaries.

As part of this campaign, which the Houthis say is aimed at supporting the Palestinians in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the group has carried out a series of maritime attacks, including rocket attacks and the use of drones loaded with explosives. Its operations have focused on areas around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint through which a significant amount of the world's oil is transported.