Houthis agree to allow towing of targeted oil tanker to avert environmental damage

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels agree to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach the damaged Greek-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York claims the group has agreed to a temporary truce.

“Several countries have reached out to ask Ansar Allah [the Houthis], requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area,” Iran’s UN mission says. “In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansar Allah has consented to this request.”

But Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam tells Reuters that there is no temporary truce and the group only agreed after several international parties contacted the group to allow the towing of the tanker to avoid marine environmental damage.