Oil Tanker Hit By Houthi Gunfire & 3 Projectiles Catches Fire & Drifts In The Red Sea

The Sounion, a Greek-flagged oil tanker, is on fire and adrift in the Red Sea after being targeted by a series of attacks.

The vessel carrying crude oil from Basra, Iraq, to Cyprus was hit by gunfire from two small boats on August 21, 2024, about 140 kilometres west of the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah.

The attacks continued, with three projectiles striking the ship and starting a fire, causing it to lose engine power. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the 25 crew members.

According to the UKMTO, the attackers are most likely to be the Iranian-backed Houthis from Yemen.

The Houthis, who have been attacking commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea since November 2023, claim that the attacks are in support of the Palestinians in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Despite Western warship deployments and airstrikes by the US and UK on Houthi territory, the Houthi attacks continue.

In a separate incident, on August 21, 2024, the Panama-flagged cargo vessel SW North Wind I reported three underwater explosions near its location while sailing through the Gulf of Aden. The crew remained unharmed, and the ship continued its journey.

Earlier, the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Tutor was sunk by a Houthi sea drone attack, and another Liberian-flagged oil tanker was severely attacked.

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted vessels they claim are linked to Israel, the US or the UK. However, most of their targets have little to no connection to these nations.

The group’s attacks have included missiles and drones, some of which have been intercepted or failed to hit their targets.

The US Central Command forces have taken decisive actions in response to the increasing threats. On August 21, 2024, US forces destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi radar and surface-to-air missile system in Yemen.

The United States has also increased its military presence in the Middle East, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and the USS Georgia guided missile submarine to the region.

Additionally, F-22 fighter jets and the USS Wasp, carrying F-35 fighter jets, have also been repositioned to strengthen regional security.

Reference: BBC, AP

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