Authorities reported on Friday that fires had broken out on a Greek-flagged oil tanker, the Sounion, which had been previously attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The vessel now appears to be adrift in the Red Sea, with the crew having abandoned ship on Thursday.
The cause of the fires remains unclear, as the Houthi rebels have not acknowledged the incident. The Sounion, reportedly anchored in place, is suspected to have been targeted as part of the rebels' ongoing campaign against shipping in the Red Sea amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed the fires in a notice to mariners, stating that the vessel was observed drifting. The U.S. defense officials are monitoring the situation closely.
The Sounion, carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, poses a navigational and environmental hazard in the region. The crew, consisting of Filipinos, Russians, and private security personnel, was safely evacuated to Djibouti by a French destroyer.
Since the conflict in Gaza began, the Houthis have targeted over 80 vessels with missiles and drones, seizing one vessel and sinking two others. The rebels claim to target ships associated with Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., although some attacked vessels have no direct connection to the conflict.
Amid escalating tensions, the U.S. military has deployed additional assets to the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, the USS Georgia-guided missile submarine, and the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group in the Gulf of Oman. F-22 fighter jets and the USS Wasp, carrying F-35 fighter jets, have also been dispatched to the area.
