ALBAWABA- The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported an incident 55 nautical miles southeast of Aden, raising concerns over maritime security in the region. In a related development, a naval source from Ansar Allah (the Houthis) claimed that a European frigate attempted to intercept their attack on the tanker Sunion.
According to the source, after successfully blocking the first attack boat, the frigate was forced to retreat when a second Houthi boat launched an assault.
A Greek-flagged tanker, the Sounion, has been set ablaze following a series of attacks by Yemen's Ansar Allah Houthi naval forces in the Red Sea.
According to a Houthi naval source, a European frigate attempted to intercept their first attack on the tanker but withdrew after a second assault boat was launched.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed the incident occurred 55 nautical miles southeast of Aden. Despite the attacks, there are no signs of an oil spill from the tanker, which was carrying 150,000 tons of Iraqi crude oil.
This marks one of the most severe attacks by the Houthis in weeks, further disrupting the Red Sea corridor, a critical route for global trade and aid shipments to conflict-affected regions like Sudan and Yemen.
The EU’s Operation Aspides has warned of the potential environmental disaster posed by the burning tanker, emphasizing the threat to freedom of navigation, marine life, and regional ecosystems.
The U.S. State Department echoed these concerns, condemning the Houthi attacks as a reckless threat to the region's environment and economy.
The Houthis, through their al-Masirah news channel, have framed the attack as retaliation against the company owning the Sounion for violating their ban on accessing Israeli ports.
Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October, the Houthis have targeted over 80 vessels in the region, claiming to focus on those linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K.
