Houthis agree to temporary ceasefire in Red Sea amid threat of biggest oil spill in history

Houthi forces in Yemen have agreed to a temporary ceasefire to allow rescue vessels access to the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which is severely damaged in the Red Sea.

The Sounion, carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, was attacked by Houthi forces near the coast of Hodeida, Yemen, and is still on fire. (Source: EPA)

According to the announcement of the Iranian delegation to the United Nations ( UN ), the decision to ceasefire was made by the Houthi forces to respond to humanitarian and environmental requests from a number of countries, with the aim of preventing environmental disasters and supporting rescue work, Reuters news agency reported.

Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam also confirmed the information following talks with representatives of the European Union (EU) in Muscat, Oman.

Last weekend, the Sounion, carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, was attacked by Houthi forces near the coast of Hodeida, Yemen. The attack caused massive fires and explosions on board the ship and forced the evacuation of the crew.

The incident has also raised concerns about a possible environmental disaster. If oil from the Sounion spills into the Red Sea, it would be one of the largest oil spills in history.

The US Department of Defense said on August 27 that the ship was still on fire in the Red Sea and was leaking oil. A third party had tried to send two tugboats to assist the Sounion, but Houthi forces threatened to attack them.

The US military is working with regional partners to find a way to salvage the Sounion and minimize the potential environmental impact. According to the Pentagon, the Sounion will be towed to an Eritrean port for repair.

Since the conflict in the Gaza Strip, Houthi forces in Yemen have carried out numerous attacks on international cargo ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, claiming to show solidarity with the Palestinians.

Since November 2023, the force has carried out more than 70 attacks on commercial vessels, resulting in the sinking of two vessels, the seizure of another, and the death of at least three sailors. The Sounion is the third Delta Tankers-operated vessel attacked in the Red Sea this month.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/houthi-dong-y-tam-thoi-ngung-ban-o-bien-do-truoc-nguy-co-xay-ra-vu-tran-dau-lon-nhat-lich-su-284320.html