Pentagon: Oil tanker attacked by Houthis apparently leaks oil

The Greek-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion continues to burn in the Red Sea and is now leaking oil, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday. The ship, which is carrying about a million barrels of crude oil, was attacked by several missiles last week near the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah.

The Houthis, a Yemen-based group allied with Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack, citing solidarity with Palestinians in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The group has been attacking ships in the Red Sea as part of their wider conflict.

According to Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesman, the attack on Sounion was a violation of the travel ban into “occupied Palestine”.

This incident is the third attack this month on ships belonging to the Athens-based Delta Tankers. Although the fire on board was extinguished by the crew, the ship is still badly damaged.

Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder condemned the attack as a “reckless act of terrorism.” He said: “These are simply reckless acts of terrorism that continue to destabilize global and regional commerce, put the lives of innocent civilians at risk, and endanger the vibrant maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Houthis’ backyard.”

Ryder added that the U.S. military is working with regional partners to assist the ship and mitigate potential environmental impacts.

The Houthis, led by Abdul Malik al-Houthi, are an Iran-backed Shiite rebel group that has been in conflict with the Yemeni government for nearly two decades. They currently control northwestern Yemen and the capital, Sanaa.

(With contributions from agencies)