In Yemen

Salvagers successfully towed a Greek-flagged oil tanker ablaze for weeks after attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels to a safe area without any oil spill, a European Union naval mission has said.

Under the protection of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, the Greek-owned tanker Sounion was successfully towed to a safe area without any reported oil spill.

The completion of this phase of the operation is the result of a comprehensive approach and close collaboration among all involved parties committed to preventing an environmental disaster that could affect the entire region.

A new attempt has begun to try to salvage an oil tanker burning in the Red Sea after attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, a European Union naval mission said Saturday.

The EU's Operation Aspides published images dated Saturday of its vessels escorting ships heading to the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion.

Diplomatic efforts are under way to find a solution to prevent a massive oil spillage from the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion.

The tanker, attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have targeted merchant shipping in the area, is still burning and with each passing day the danger of spilling its content of 1 million barrels of oil into the sea is increasing.

A series of attacks in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have left a Greek flagged ship, the Sounion, stranded, threatening to spill its 1 million barrels of oil into the sea. Greece has taken the lead in coordinating efforts to evacuate and tow the Sounion, but the threat of environmental disaster remains large.

Salvagers abandoned an effort to tow away a burning Greek-flagged oil tanker in the Red Sea targeted by Yemen's Houthi rebels as it "was not safe to proceed," a European Union naval mission has said.

The announcement by the EU's Operation Aspides leaves the Sounion stranded in the Red Sea, threatening to spill its 1 million barrels of oil.

With several fires still burning on the Greek-flagged Sounion oil tanker since the attack by Iranian pro-Iranian Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on August 21, Greece is taking a leading role in the effort to tow it to prevent an environmental disaster.

A major operation is underway to tow the Greek-owned tanker Sounion, which is on fire in the Red Sea. The vessel, carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, was struck by Yemeni Houthi rebels on August 21.

To avoid an environmental disaster, warships from the European Aspides mission are escorting the two tugboats and the tanker.

Two missiles suspected to have been fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a ship in the Gulf of Aden late Friday, splashing down nearby without causing any damage, authorities said.

The Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, had a telephone conversation with the Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union, Nikos Dendias. European Commission Vice-President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borel.