The US Defense Department on Thursday slammed Houthi rebels for causing an “environmental disaster” by attacking an oil tanker in the Red Sea, after a merchant ship carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil burst into flames.
Deputy Defence Ministry spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters that Wednesday’s Houthi attack on the merchant ship Sounion threatened to trigger a “catastrophe” in Yemen’s backyard.
“This is an environmental disaster that they have to deal with,” she said, also criticizing the group’s motive for the attack: “What exactly does this accomplish? They say they launched the attack to help the people of Gaza, but I don’t see how that will help the people of Gaza.”
A Houthi attack on the Sounion caused a fire which was extinguished but also caused engine failure, forcing the crew to evacuate to Djibouti.
The European Union Navy’s military operations in the Red Sea Post to social platform X The Sounion, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, is now a “navigational and environmental hazard”.
In a statement published in pro-Iranian media on Thursday, the Houthis claimed the Sounion had entered Israel, violating a so-called ban on Israeli ports.
In the fighting that has lasted about 10 months, the Houthis have sunk at least two ships, damaged at least two others, and killed three sailors.
The Iranian-backed group, which controls much of Yemen, says it is targeting Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces are waging a major war against Hamas.
“Fighting will not stop until the aggression is stopped and the blockade against our brothers in the Gaza Strip is lifted,” the Houthis said in a statement on Thursday.
The U.S. Navy is leading a major operation to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea, repelling most of the near-daily Houthi attacks, and the U.S. is also conducting strikes targeting Houthi assets.
Still, more than six months of fighting has failed to deter Houthi attacks or degrade their capacity enough to thwart them.
Singh said Thursday that while challenges remain, the U.S. is succeeding in achieving the mission’s objectives.
“Certainly, they have carried out some successful attacks,” she said, “but we have been able to degrade their capabilities over time and, through our alliance, protect shipping transiting the Red Sea.” [and] It is not a waste.”
