Last week, the Greek-flagged vessel Sounion, carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, was attacked by the Houthi movement and caught fire. Both the Pentagon and the EU's military operation in the Red Sea, Aspides, have warned that an oil spill would be a disaster.
Previous attempts to salvage the wreck have failed due to threats of new attacks. However, the Houthi movement will now allow rescue vessels and tugboats to salvage Sounion, according to Iran – which simultaneously claims that previous failures are due to "negligence from certain countries" and not threats.
The Houthi movement has carried out many similar attacks in the Red Sea since the Gaza War began, according to the movement itself in solidarity with Palestinians. The group claims, according to Iran, that Sounion "belongs to a company with ties to the Israeli enemy" and announces that they will continue with the attacks as long as the war in Gaza continues.
Sounion was en route from Iraq to a port near Athens in Greece when the vessel was attacked.
