EU Says Burning Tanker Towed From Yemen After Rebel Attack
Rescue teams have successfully towed a Greek-flagged tanker that had been burning for weeks after an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels to a safe area without leaking oil, the EU naval delegation said on Monday.
The Sonion has reached waters far from Yemen, where the Houthis claimed to have shot down another US-made MQ-9 Reaper drone, and a video circulating online showed what appeared to be a surface-to-air missile attack, with burning debris scattered on the ground.
The two developments show the challenges that remain around the world as rebels try to ease the months-long offensive by the insurgents in the war raging in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas. Although the rebels have allowed the ships to sail, they continue to threaten ships passing through the Red Sea, a waterway that once carried $1 trillion worth of goods each year.
The EU naval delegation, Operation Aspidos, announced the ship’s handover in a statement on the social platform X.
The EU delegation said the Sounion “was successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill. “Aspids will continue to monitor developments while private stakeholders complete the rescue operation.
There was no immediate comment from the Houthis, and it was unclear where the ship was headed, although it was likely heading north from Yemen. Rescuers still need to offload about 1 million barrels of crude oil from the Sounion, which officials fear could spill into the Red Sea, killing marine life and damaging coral reefs in the waterway.
Meanwhile, the US military said it was aware that the Houthis had shot down a drone over Dhamar province in the southwest of the country but did not provide further details.
The Houthis have exaggerated their claims in the current operation against ships in the Red Sea due to the war between Israel and Hamas. However, videos posted on the internet reinforced the claims, especially after two recent allegations made by the Houthis without providing any evidence.
Other videos showed armed rebels gathered around the burning wreckage, with propellers similar to those used by armed drones visible in the flames. Someone tried to pick up a coin, but it fell because it was too hot.
Houthi spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Sarri confirmed the plane was an MQ-9 but did not explain how he came to that conclusion. He added that it was the third time the group had removed it in a week, though the other two statements did not include similar video or other evidence. The U.S. military also did not acknowledge the loss of any aircraft.
Sarri said the Houthis were using homemade missiles. However, Iran has for years armed the rebels with surface-to-air missiles called 358s. Iran denies arming the rebels, though Tehran-made weapons have been found on the battlefield and in sea cargo shipped to Yemen under a U.N. arms embargo.
Each Reaper plane costs about $30 million, can fly up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and can fly for up to 24 hours before needing to land. U.S. military and CIA planes have been flying over Yemen for years.
The Houthis have attacked more than 80 commercial ships with missiles and drones since the Gaza war began in October. They captured one ship and sank two in one battle, also killing four sailors. Other missiles and drones in the Red Sea have been intercepted by the US-led coalition or failed to hit their targets, leading to drone strikes.
