The Pentagon has emphasized that the situation surrounding the Sounion, a tanker lit aflame and leaking oil after an attack, poses significant navigational hazards and serious environmental risks. Major General Patrick Ryder expressed concerns over one million barrels of crude oil on board, detailing the implications of such an environmental catastrophe and the reckless actions of the Yemen-based Houthis, who have escalated maritime attacks amidst ongoing conflicts, threatening both trade and civilian lives.
The Houthis, who attacked the Sounion near Hodeidah, have targeted Red Sea shipping as part of their military strategy. They claim the strike was retaliation against violations of their ban on access to occupied Palestinian ports, highlighting the geopolitical tensions affecting commercial operations. Ryder condemned these attacks as reckless terrorism that destabilizes commerce and endangers mariner lives while putting the fragile marine ecosystem at risk in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
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