Houthi-struck oil tanker could spill 'million barrels,' US warns

WASHINGTON — The United States warned Saturday of a potential environmental disaster in the Red Sea after Houthi rebels struck an oil tanker off the Yemeni coast.

The Greek-flagged Sounion was struck on Wednesday off the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, with the Iran-backed Houthis claiming to have hit the vessel with drones and missiles.

On Friday, the UKMTO maritime agency said three fires had been spotted on the ship, while a video released by the Houthis on social media allegedly showed three explosions on the ship.

The 274 metre long vessel had departed from Iraq and was destined for a port near Athens, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil.

"The Houthis' continued attacks threaten to spill a million barrels of oil into the Red Sea, an amount four times the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster," US State Department Matthew Miller said on Saturday in a statement.

The Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 released 257,000 barrels along the coast of Alaska.

"While the crew has been evacuated, the Houthis appear determined to sink the ship and its cargo into the sea," Miller said.

The Sounian's crew of 23 Filipinos and two Russians were rescued by a ship with the European Union's Aspides mission.

The naval mission also warned the unmanned vessel represented "a navigational and environmental hazard".

The Houthi rebels launched their campaign against international shipping in November, saying it is in support of Gaza amid the Hamas-Israel war.

In March, the Belize-flagged, Lebanese-operated Rubymar became the first ship targeted by the Houthis to sink during the conflict.

The Rubymar sank in the Red Sea with 21,000 metric tonnes of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertiliser on board.

The Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier Tutor also sank in June after being struck by the Houthis.

Multiple sailors have also been killed or wounded in the attacks, which have severely disrupted global shipping.

“Through these attacks, the Houthis have made clear they are willing to destroy the fishing industry and regional ecosystems that Yemenis and other communities in the region rely on for their livelihoods,” Miller said Saturday.

“We call on the Houthis to cease these actions immediately and urge other nations to step forward to help avert this environmental disaster,” he added.