Following the attack on the tanker “Sounion” in the Red Sea by the Shiite Houthi militia, the risk of an environmental catastrophe is increasing.
Sanaa – After the pro-Iranian Houthi militia attacked an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen, the US has warned of the increased risk of an environmental disaster in the Red Sea. Due to the continued attacks by the Houthi, “one million barrels” (equivalent to around 56,000 tons) of oil are at risk of flowing into the Red Sea, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
This is roughly four times the amount that ended up in the sea after the “Exxon Valdez” disaster 35 years ago. The tanker’s crew was evacuated, Miller explained. “But the Houthis seem determined to sink the ship and its cargo in the sea.”
Houthi attack in the Red Sea poses threat to shipping and the environment
With its attacks, which have been ongoing for months, the Iranian-backed militia has made it clear that it is “determined to destroy the fishing economy and regional ecosystems that Yemenis and other communities in the region depend on for their livelihoods,” Miller said. He called on the Houthis to “stop these actions immediately.”
The “MV Sounion”, owned by a Greek company and carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, was hit by three missiles off the port of Hodeida on Wednesday. The Yemeni Houthi militia said it had fired drones and missiles at the tanker.
On Friday, the UK Maritime Safety Authority (UKMTO) said that three fires had reportedly broken out on the ship. A video posted online by the Houthis showed three suspected explosions on the ship. The crew, consisting of two Russians and 23 Filipinos, was brought to safety by the EU mission Aspides, which is stationed in the Red Sea to protect merchant ships. According to the company Delta Tankers, the ship has since been anchored in the Red Sea between Eritrea and Yemen. Aspides warned of a “danger to shipping and the environment” posed by the unmanned ship.
Houthis justification for attacks on tankers“Solidarity” with Palestinians
The Houthi militia has been carrying out repeated attacks against merchant ships in the area for months. Iran The militia, which is supported by the Palestinian Authority and allied with the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip, claims to be acting “out of solidarity” with the Palestinians since Israel and Hamas are waging war as a result of their major attack. At the beginning of March, a badly damaged cargo ship sank off the coast of Yemen, almost two weeks after an attack by the Houthi militia. The US military warned of an environmental disaster because the “Rubymar” was carrying around 41,000 tons of fertilizer.
The recent attacks are reminiscent of the “Exxon Valdez”, which crashed off the coast of the US state of Alaska in 1989At that time, around 257,000 barrels of oil ended up in the sea. The resulting oil spill is still considered one of the most devastating environmental disasters in history.
One of the most important shipping routes for world trade
One of the most important shipping routes for world trade runs through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. In recent months, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked civilian cargo ships there. The militia claims to be acting in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The USA, Great Britain and their allies therefore also repeatedly attack Houthis’ targets in Yemen. The militia is allied with Iran and, according to the US government, is also financed by Tehran. (erpe/dpa/AFP)
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