Houthi attack on tanker carrying 150,000 tonnes of oil poses environmental risk to Red Sea

Assault on Greece-flagged MV Sounion comes during monthslong campaign by Houthis targeting ships over Israel-Hamas war in Gaza Strip

A tanker carrying 150,000 tonnes of oil has been damaged in the biggest attack on Red Sea shipping in weeks.

The assault on the Greek-flagged MV Sounion comes during a monthslong campaign by the Houthis targeting ships over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that has disrupted a trade route through which $1 trillion in cargo typically passes each year.

A French destroyer rescued 29 mariners onboard, while also destroying a bomb-carrying drone boat in the area. However, the EU mission in the Red Sea warned that the Sounion has 150,000 tons of crude oil aboard and represents a “navigational and environmental hazard”.

“It is essential that everyone in the area exercises caution and refrains from any actions that could lead to a deterioration of the current situation,” the mission said.

The Sounion is now anchored in the Red Sea and no longer drifting, while the rescued mariners have been taken to nearby Djibouti, the mission said.

The vessel had been staffed by a crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians and four private security personnel when it was hit by at least four projectiles that sparked a fire and left it without engine power.

A handout photo made available by EUNAVFOR ASPIDES shows an unmanned surface vehicle being neutralized by a unit of the European operation Aspides (EPA)

Men in two small boats also opened fire on the vessel about 90 miles off the coast of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, the UK Maritime Trade Operations office said. “The first craft had three to five persons onboard while the second had approximately 10,” the statement said. “The two small craft hailed the merchant vessel, leading to a brief exchange of small-arms fire.”

Houthi officials in Yemen claimed to have targeted the Sounion, along with the Panama-flagged ship the SW North Wind I, which suffered minor damage in a separate attack.

“The ship was accurately and directly hit while sailing in the Red Sea and is at risk of sinking, thanks to God,” said Houthi military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree, reported AP.

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi on Thursday said: "From this week’s operations targeting ships violating blockade on vessels heading to Israel, a ship was adrift ... after it malfunctioned because of strikes".

An unmanned surface vehicle was successfully neutralized by a unit of the European operation Aspides in the southern Red Sea region (EPA)

The US meanwhile destroyed three Houthi drones in strikes on Thursday, the American military’s Central Command said. Blaming the Houthis for the attack on the vessel, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said she was "not exactly sure how [the attack] helps anyone in Gaza".

The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors.

Additional reporting by agencies