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Houthi Escalation Takes Dangerous Turn with Massive Fire on British Tanker

British oil tanker targeted in Houthi attack in Gulf of Aden (AFP)
British oil tanker targeted in Houthi attack in Gulf of Aden (AFP)
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Houthi Escalation Takes Dangerous Turn with Massive Fire on British Tanker

British oil tanker targeted in Houthi attack in Gulf of Aden (AFP)
British oil tanker targeted in Houthi attack in Gulf of Aden (AFP)

Houthi militias in Yemen have escalated attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, reaching a critical point with a missile hitting a British oil tanker on Friday.

The resulting massive blaze on the Marlin Luanda took hours to control, raising fears of an environmental disaster if the tanker sank.

The Marlin Luanda is operated on behalf of Trafigura, a multinational trading giant domiciled in Singapore.

Earlier, Trafigura said a fire in the ship’s cargo tank had been extinguished with the help of Indian, US and French Navy vessels and all crew were safe.

“We would like to recognize the exceptional dedication and bravery of the ship’s master and crew who managed to control the fire in highly difficult circumstances, as well as the essential assistance provided by Indian, United States and French Navy vessels to achieve this outcome,” a spokesperson said.

Houthi threats to shipping in the region persisted despite joint US-UK strikes against the group's sites in Yemen earlier this week.

On Saturday, the US responded to the Houthi missile threat with early strikes. Houthis confirmed the attack, claiming it targeted a site near the Ras Isa port in northern Hodeidah.

Since November 19, there have been around 34 Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Despite 10 US strikes, two involving the UK, the threat to a crucial trade route persists.

Iranian-backed Houthis say they attack to block Israeli ships and now also target US and UK vessels, tying the end of these assaults to a resolution in Gaza.

The head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Rashad Al-Alimi, emphasized on Saturday that military strikes are not the solution.

Al-Alimi reiterated his belief in collaboration with the Yemeni government to restore the state and its institutions, offering an alternative approach to the ongoing military efforts against the Houthi threat.

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Germany Says Sanctions against Syrian War Crimes Suspects Must Stay but People Need Relief

A group of young volunteers paints a mural symbolizing peace on a wall on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
A group of young volunteers paints a mural symbolizing peace on a wall on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
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Germany Says Sanctions against Syrian War Crimes Suspects Must Stay but People Need Relief

A group of young volunteers paints a mural symbolizing peace on a wall on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
A group of young volunteers paints a mural symbolizing peace on a wall on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)

thGermany’s foreign minister said Sunday that sanctions against Syrian officials responsible for war crimes must remain in place but called for a “smart approach” to provide relief to the Syrian population after last month's overthrow of President Bashar Assad.

Annalena Baerbock spoke to reporters after arriving in Saudi Arabia for a conference on Syria's future attended by top European and Middle Eastern diplomats.

Germany is one of several countries that imposed sanctions on the Assad government over its brutal crackdown on dissent. Those penalties could hinder Syria's recovery from nearly 14 years of civil war that killed an estimated 500,000 people and displaced half the prewar population of 23 million, according to The AP.

“Sanctions against Assad’s henchmen who committed serious crimes during the civil war must remain in place,” Baerbock said. “But Germany proposes to take a smart approach to sanctions, providing rapid relief for the Syrian population. Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power.”

Baerbock announced an additional 50 million euros ($51.2 million) in German aid for food, emergency shelters and medical care, highlighting the ongoing struggles of millions of Syrians displaced by the war.

The sanctions imposed target not only senior government officials, but also the country's oil industry, international money transfers and hundreds of entities and individuals linked to the Assad government, crippling the wider economy.

There are exemptions when it comes to humanitarian aid, but relief organizations have said that overcompliance by financial institutions hinders their operations.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said his country, which was a strong supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, would try to aid Syria in normalizing ties with the international community.

He said it was important to establish “a balance between the expectations of the international community and the realities faced by the new administration in Syria.”

He pledged Turkish support to the new government, especially in combating threats from the ISIS group. “As Türkiye, we are ready to do our part to ease the difficult path ahead for the Syrian people,” he said in comments carried by state-run Anadolu Agency.

The United States has eased some restrictions Last week, the United States eased some of its restrictions on Syria, with the US Treasury issuing a general license, lasting six months, that authorizes certain transactions with the Syrian government, including some energy sales and incidental transactions.

The US has also dropped a $10 million bounty it had offered for the capture of Ahmad al-Sharaa, a Syrian opposition leader formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, whose forces led the ouster of Assad last month. Al-Sharaa was a former senior al-Qaeda militant who broke with the group years ago and has pledged an inclusive Syria that respects the rights of religious minorities.

The opposition factions led a lightning insurgency that ousted Assad on Dec. 8 and ended his family’s decades-long rule.

Much of the world severed ties with Assad and imposed sanctions on his government — and its Russian and Iranian allies — over alleged war crimes and the manufacturing of the amphetamine-like stimulant Captagon, which reportedly generated billions of dollars as packages of the little white pills were smuggled across Syria’s porous borders.

With Assad out of the picture, Syria’s new authorities hope that the international community will pour money into the country to rebuild its battered infrastructure and make its economy viable again.