DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rescue workers have succeeded in pulling Greek-flagged oil tanker on fire for weeks After the attacks launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen to a safe area without any oil spill, a European Union naval mission said on Monday.
The Sunion drone reached the waters off Yemen at the same time that the Houthis claimed to have shot down another US-made MQ-9 Reaper drone, with video circulating online showing what appeared to be a surface-to-air missile strike and burning debris strewn on the ground.
The two events highlight the challenges that still loom for the world as it tries to ease a months-long campaign by rebels to The war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza StripWhile the rebels have allowed the Sonion to be moved, they continue to threaten ships moving through the Red Sea, a waterway that once saw $1 trillion worth of goods pass through annually.
The European Union’s naval mission, known as Operation Aspides, issued a statement via social media platform X announcing that the ship had been transferred.
The EU mission said the vessel Sunion “was successfully towed to a safe area without any oil spill”. “While private stakeholders complete the salvage operation, Aspidis will continue to monitor the situation.”
The Houthis made no immediate comment and it was not clear where the ship was, though it was likely moved north away from Yemen. Rescue workers still need to offload about 1 million barrels of crude oil from the Sunion, which officials fear could leak into the Red Sea, killing marine life and damaging coral reefs in the waterway.
Meanwhile, the US military said it was aware that the Houthis had shot down a drone over Dhamar Governorate in the southwest of the country, without elaborating.
The Houthis have exaggerated their claims in the past in their ongoing campaign targeting shipping in the Red Sea due to the war between Israel and Hamas. However, the online video bolsters that claim, especially after two new Houthi claims were found to be without evidence.
Other videos showed armed rebels gathered around the burning wreckage, with a propeller similar to that used by an armed drone visible amid the flames. One tried to pick up a piece of metal before it dropped due to the heat.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesman, said the drone was an MQ-9, without explaining how he reached that conclusion. He said it was the third drone the group had shot down in a week, though the other two claims did not include a similar video or other evidence. The U.S. military has also not acknowledged losing any aircraft.
Saree said the Houthis used a locally made missile. However, Iran has armed the rebels with a surface-to-air missile known as the 358 for years. Iran denies arming the rebels, though. Tehran-made weapons found on battlefield And in sea shipments bound for Yemen despite the UN arms embargo.
The Reaper drones, which cost about $30 million each, can fly at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. They have been flown over Yemen for years by the U.S. military and the CIA.
The Houthis have targeted more than 80 commercial ships with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza began in October. One ship was captured. and Two drowned in the campaign. The attack also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones in the Red Sea have been intercepted or failed to reach their targets, which have also included Western military ships.
The rebels say they are targeting ships linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom to force Israel to end its campaign against Hamas in Gaza. But many of the ships attacked have nothing to do with the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
The Houthis also published footage on Monday of what they claimed was The hypersonic missile they used to attack Israel on SundayParts of the missile landed in an open area in central Israel, setting off air raid sirens at its international airport but causing no injuries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to respond to the Houthi attack with the Palestine 2 missile.
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