Pentagon spokesman Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder confirmed that the Greek-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion, recently attacked by Yemen's Houthis, remains ablaze in the Red Sea and appears to be leaking oil. The tanker, which was carrying approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil, was targeted by multiple projectiles last week off the coast of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah.
Ryder revealed that a third party had attempted to dispatch two tugboats to salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack the rescue vessels. He condemned the attack, labeling it as a "reckless act of terrorism" that jeopardizes global and regional commerce, endangers civilian mariners, and threatens the Red Sea's maritime ecosystem.
The US military is reportedly collaborating with regional partners to assess how best to assist the tanker and mitigate the environmental impact of the ongoing oil leak. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, have intensified their maritime campaign over the past 10 months, sinking two ships and killing at least three crew members, disrupting global ocean shipping and compelling vessels to avoid the Suez Canal.
* CNN contributed to this article.