ALBAWABA- Yemen's Ansarullah (Houthi) group has agreed to a temporary ceasefire to facilitate the rescue and towing of the damaged Greek-flagged oil tanker, Sounion, stranded in the Red Sea. The announcement came from Iran's mission to the United Nations on Wednesday.
Houthis claim victory after European frigate retreats in failed interception of tanker attackIn a post on X, a Houthi spokesperson, Mohammed Abdul Salam, stated: "After receiving requests from several international parties, particularly from Europe, we allowed the towing of the burning oil tanker, Sunion.
The incident serves as a demonstration of Yemen's commitment to targeting any vessel that violates our ban on ships heading to ports in occupied Palestine. This action is intended to pressure the Zionist entity to halt its aggression against Gaza.
Shipping companies associated with the Zionist enemy should be aware that their vessels will remain targets for Yemeni strikes wherever our armed forces can reach them until the aggression ends and the siege on Gaza is lifted."
The ceasefire will allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach the tanker, which has been burning since it was targeted by the Houthis on August 23. The vessel, carrying around one million barrels of oil, suffered three attacks, raising concerns about a potential environmental disaster.
According to Iran's UN mission, several countries appealed to the Houthis for this temporary truce. The Houthis have emphasized that this ceasefire is solely to allow rescue operations and prevent marine environmental damage, not a broader cessation of hostilities.
