Iran’s mission to United Nations announces that Houthis provisionally agreed to temporary truce
Date
8/29/2024 7:27:17 AM
(MENAFN) On Wednesday, Iran’s mission to the United Nations announced that the Ansar Allah group, widely known as the Houthis, had provisionally agreed to a temporary truce. This temporary ceasefire is intended to enable the deployment of tugboats and rescue ships to an oil tanker that has been engulfed in flames in the Red Sea, with growing fears of a major environmental disaster due to an oil spill.
The Iranian mission reported that various nations had intervened to request this temporary cessation of hostilities, facilitating the safe passage of emergency response teams to the scene of the incident. The mission highlighted that this appeal was made with serious attention to humanitarian and environmental concerns, stressing the critical nature of the situation.
The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday that the Greek-flagged oil tanker "Sonion," which was hit by several projectiles last week off the coast of Hodeidah in Yemen, remains on fire and is leaking oil. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attack on the vessel, which was carrying a substantial cargo of 150,000 tons of crude oil.
In response to the report, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam refuted the claim of an agreed temporary truce. He stated that the Houthis had only entertained the idea of permitting the salvage operation for the "Sonion" after receiving multiple inquiries from international entities.
Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder added that a third party had attempted to send two tugboats to assist with the rescue of the tanker, but these efforts were met with threats of attack from the Houthis.
In the wider context, the Houthis have demonstrated their support for Gaza, which has faced severe repercussions due to the ongoing conflict with extensive U.S. backing for Israel. Reflecting their broader regional stance, the Houthis have launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli-linked ships and vessels across the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean, and even extending to the Mediterranean Sea. This escalation highlights the Houthis’ strategic response within the larger regional conflict.
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