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SvennoJ on 24 August 2024
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Three fires seen on damaged oil tanker in Red Sea: UKMTO

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported that three fires have been observed on a severely damaged oil tanker stranded in the Red Sea. The Yemen-based Houthis attacked the Greek-flagged Sounion vessel on Wednesday. Several projectiles hit the ship off the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, causing a fire and cutting engine power. A European Union warship rescued the crew, made up of 23 Filipinos and two Russians.

On Friday, UKMTO said it had received reports of three blazes on the vessel and that it also “appears to be drifting”. The Houthis have also posted a video on social media purportedly showing them setting fire to the uncrewed tanker.

The vessel is anchored in the Red Sea between Yemen and Eritrea, the Reuters news agency reports, citing a maritime security source. An EU naval mission has warned that the Sounion now poses an “environmental hazard”.


Photos show Greek-owned oil tanker Sounion in flames after Red Sea attack



The Houthi armed group has released video footage of what they say is the aftermath of their attack on a Greek-flagged oil tanker in the Red Sea, which is now engulfed in flames.

A raging fire can be seen in the images of the burning tanker, which is reported to be carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, raising fears of an environmental disaster.

Several Huothi projectiles hit the ship off the Yemeni port of Hodeidah on Wednesday, causing a fire and cutting engine power. An EU warship rescued the crew, made up of 23 Filipinos and two Russians.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the vessel was targeted because it “belongs to a company that has ties to the Israeli enemy and violated the ban decision of entry to the ports of occupied Palestine”.

Yemen’s Houthis fighters have pledged to attack Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war on Gaza.

Hamas official accuses US of false positivity over Gaza ceasefire deal to boost Harris

The US is eager to spread a positive atmosphere around ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in order to support the presidential campaign of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan has reportedly told the Lebanese outlet, Al Mayadeen.

On Friday, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said “there has been progress made” and that all that was required was for “both sides to come together and work towards implementation”.

But speaking to Al Mayadeen, Hamdan said Hamas still firmly rejects Israel’s continued control over the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors, as well as the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, and this remains a major sticking point.

He also emphasised that the Palestinian group demands “practical measures regarding what was previously agreed upon, not more negotiations”.

“Tomorrow we will have two options: If the entity [Israel] agrees to the initiative, we will discuss the execution phase, or if we hear otherwise, we will inform them then of our position,” he said.

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US, are ongoing in Cairo, and are expected to continue through the weekend.