The Houthi rebels from Yemen have hijacked cargo to India using a helicopter
Yemen’s Houthi militia has seized an international cargo ship bound for India in the southern Red Sea.
Tel Aviv: The Israeli government has claimed that Yemen’s Houthi rebels have seized an international cargo ship in the southern Red Sea en route to India. Israel has called it an “Iranian act of terror” and a “very serious incident at the global level.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the news, saying the British and Japanese-operated cargo ship had been captured by the Houthis, allies of Tehran. Officials said there were no Israelis on the cargo ship.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said a British-owned and Japanese-operated cargo ship had been captured by the Houthis, allies of Tehran. Officials stated that there were no Israelis on board.
“This is yet another Iranian act of terror that represents an escalation of Iran’s belligerence against the citizens of the free world, with attendant international consequences for the security of global shipping lanes,” Netanyahu’s office said.
On the other hand, the Houthi militia also confirmed the development. However, the outfit claimed that they had seized an Israeli ship, which was immediately dismissed by the Israeli government. Houthis said the ship was taken from the southern Red Sea to a Yemeni port, the group said.
“We adhere to Islamic principles and values in our treatment of the ship’s crew,” a military spokesman for the group said. The ship was seized by the Houthis using a helicopter to deploy their fighters. Tel Aviv has determined that the cargo ship is owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese company. The ship had 25 crew members of various nationalities, including Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Filipino and Mexican.
In a separate announcement today, a spokesperson for the Yemeni Iran-aligned militia stated their intention to target all ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or flying the Israeli flag. The militia urged countries to withdraw their citizens from crewing such ships. Two US defense officials confirmed, as reported by The Washington Post, that the Galaxy Leader ship had been seized by the militia using a helicopter.
A week ago, a leader of the Houthi group had declared an escalation of attacks on Israel and Israeli ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The group has been launching long-range missiles and drone attacks on Israeli posts, joining Hamas militants in the ongoing conflict with Israel since October 7.
Speaking of Houthis, they emerged as a Zaidi Shia Muslim movement in the 1990s, based mainly in northern Yemen. Their opposition to the Sunni-dominated government has led to six armed conflicts with the Yemeni government since 2004. The crucial moment came in 2014 when they took control of the capital Sanaa and forced the government into exile. The Houthis subsequently became embroiled in a civil war against a Saudi-led coalition of Sunni Arab states. This conflict has been ongoing ever since and has shaped the complex and unstable political landscape in Yemen.