New towing attempt on oil tanker destroyed by Yemen's Houthi rebels

On September 14, 2024, news from Dubai. The EU naval operation "Operation Atalanta" said that after the attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels, a new salvage attempt was launched on an oil tanker burning in the Red Sea. "Operation Atalanta" released images on Saturday showing its warships escorting ships heading to the Greek-flagged oil tanker "Sounion". The EU said the operation is actively involved in this complex effort to create a safe environment for towing operations.

The "Sounion" has been attacked by Houthi rebels since August 21. There are 25 Filipino and Russian crew members and four private security personnel on board. Later, it was taken to Djibouti by a French destroyer. The Houthi rebels installed explosives on the ship and detonated them, raising concerns that one million barrels of crude oil on board may leak into the Red Sea. Since the start of the Gaza war in October, the Houthi rebels have attacked more than 80 ships with missiles and drones, seized one and sunk two, killing four sailors. Among them, the "Mentor" sank after the Houthi rebels installed explosives. Other missiles and drones were either intercepted or missed their targets. The Houthi rebels insist on targeting ships associated with Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom, but many of the attacked ships have little to do with the conflict.