Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed to have hijacked an Israeli businessman’s merchant ship in the Red Sea on Sunday, November 19, and hijacked it towards the Yemeni coast. The Israeli government condemned this “attack” while ensuring that the seized vessel “Galaxy Leader” was not an Israeli cargo ship. It is a British ship owned by the Japanese company Nippon Yusen (NYK). Japan also condemned the attack “in the strongest terms.”
The Houthis’ announcement comes days after Iran-backed rebels threatened to attack Israeli ships in this strategic sea between northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, as Israel wages war against the Palestinian Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces conducted a military operation in the Red Sea, the result of which was the seizure of an Israeli ship and its transfer to the Yemeni coast,” affirmed Houthis military spokesman Yahya Saree. in the social network towards the oppressed Palestinian people, who are subjected to an unjust siege and the continuation of the terrible and heinous massacres of the Israeli enemy.
Also read: Article reserved for our subscribers The war in Gaza offers the Yemeni Houthis an opportunity to exert influence across the entire region
The Houthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, only threaten “the ships of the Israeli entity and the ships belonging to the Israelis,” their military spokesman argued.
“No Israeli” on board
“It is not an Israeli ship,” the Israeli army assured, specifying that the boat had “civilians of various nationalities, but not Israelis” on board. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “strongly condemned the Iranian attack on an international ship,” which he described as “aggression” against the “free world” with consequences “for the security of global sea routes.”
“The ship, owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese company, was hijacked by Yemen’s Houthi militia under the leadership of Iran,” the statement from Mr. Netanyahu’s office said. “There are 25 crew members of various nationalities on board the ship, including Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Filipinos and Mexicans. “No Israelis are on board,” he assured.
Information confirmed by the Japanese government, which “strongly condemned” this attack. ” Yesterday [dimanche] “We have received reports that the Nippon Yusen-operated car carrier Galaxy Leader was hijacked by the Houthis while sailing south on the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen,” Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said.
According to maritime security firm Ambrey, the Galaxy Leader is a car carrier owned by Ray Car Carriers, controlled by Israeli businessman Abraham Rami Ungar and “based in Israel.” The trade site Tradwinds confirms that the company Ray Car Carriers is registered in the UK and the ship is operated by the Japanese company Nippon Yusen (NYK). The latter said Monday he could not immediately confirm who owned the ship.
A strategic route for international trade
According to the trade website Marine Traffic, the Galaxy Leader, also flying the Bahamas flag, was traveling off the Saudi port city of Jeddah in the Red Sea and approaching neighboring Yemen when its radar signals were interrupted on Saturday. For its part, a maritime source from the Yemeni rebel-held port of Hodeida (west) confirmed that “the Houthis seized a merchant ship and took it to the port of Al-Salif in Hodeida.”
The world application
The morning of the world
Every morning, discover our selection of 20 items not to be missed
Download the app
A US military source called the seizure of the Galaxy Leader car carrier by “Houthi rebels” a “flagrant violation of international law.” According to this source, Washington will contact its allies and the United Nations to consider “appropriate” measures.
In recent weeks, Houthi rebels have fired several drones and missiles into Israeli territory.
“We have our eyes open to constantly monitor and search for every Israeli ship,” Houthi leader Abdel Malek Al-Houthi said in a speech on their Al-Massira channel, threatening to “target them gain weight”.
The Red Sea is strategically important for global trade, particularly the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, a narrow passage between Yemen and Djibouti that is crucial for transporting oil.
Also read: Article reserved for our subscribers The Gulf states are trying to free themselves from the warlike direct talks between Iran and the United States