French Navy rescues crew of cargo ship attacked by Houthis in the Red Sea

A French destroyer evacuated all 29 crew members of an oil tanker in the Red Sea that came under repeated attack by Houthis, according to AP, while also destroying a Houthi drone in the area.

The oil tanker attacked was the Sounion, which was sailing in the Red Sea waters under a Greek flag. The crew was composed of Russian and Filipino nationals. The attack against this vessel is the most serious in recent weeks in the waters threatened by the Yemeni Islamist group.

The Sounion was hit Wednesday by multiple missiles off the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. From there, the Houthis have launched attacks on ships crossing the waters of the Red Sea frequently since the start of the war in Gaza. The Houthis are a militia that took control of Yemen, in cahoots with Iran, from whom it receives support and training.

The French destroyer that rescued the Sounion crew is part of the European Union Operation Aspides. They went into action when the Sounion's propulsion engines were rendered inoperable after enduring several Houthi attacks.

The Sounion is now anchored in the Red Sea and no longer drifting, the European Union's Operation Aspides reports. However, it was unclear whether or not the vessel is on fire.

The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the attacks, something they may do in the coming days. They did acknowledge the latest U.S. airstrikes in Hodeida that, according to the U.S. military's Central Command, destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile and radar system.