Yemen’s Houthi rebels released a video on Thursday showing their fighters planting explosives on a Greek-flagged oil tanker in the Red Sea.
The footage, which captures the moment of detonation, has heightened concerns about a potential environmental disaster as the damaged vessel now risks causing a massive oil spill in one of the world’s most strategic waterways.
It is believed the ship was carrying around one million barrels of oil.
Named after the location of Poseidon’s Temple, the Sounion was initially attacked on August 21, as the Iran-backed Houthis targeted it with small arms fire, projectiles, and a drone boat.
Their strategy for international disruption has escalated in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Associated Press reported that in the video, the Houthis chant their motto as the bombs are detonated aboard the oil tanker: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.”
The Sounionwas eventually abandoned by its crew, …