Yemen’s Houthi militia hijacked a merchant ship in the Red Sea on Sunday. The operator of the Bahamas-flagged ship is Japan, but the vessel belongs to a British company in which Israeli businessman Rami Unger has shares. This is “another act of Iranian terror,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s office commented on the action of the unit allied with Iran.
Among the crew members of the Galaxy Leader ship, which was carrying cargo from Turkey to India, there is not a single Israeli, the Jerusalem Post reported.
This is “another Iranian act of terrorism, highlighting the escalation of Iran’s hostilities against citizens of the free world, which has consequences for the security of international shipping,” the prime minister’s office commented. Benjamin Netanyahuquoted by Reuters.
Galaxy Leader ship Kristijan Bracun/Associated Press/East News
Allied with Iran The Houthi militia said it had seized the ship in the area, but described it as “Israeli.” – We treat the ship’s crew in accordance with Islamic principles and values - said a militia spokesman.
The Houthis attack Israel
Houthis, an ally of Tehran, has been shelling Israel with long-range rockets and drones in solidarity with the Palestinian Hamas. Last week, the Houthi leader announced that his forces would carry out further attacks on Israel and may target Israeli ships in the Red Sea.
An announcement appeared on a Houthi-affiliated news channel that both Israeli-flagged ships and those owned or operated by Israeli companies would be attacked. This indicates – as noted by the Jerusalem Post – that vessels carrying cargo owned by Israelis or even only partially owned by them may also be attacked. “This would change the nature of the kidnapping from the seizure of general cargo during the war to piracy,” the newspaper emphasized.
An official of the US Department of Defense – quoted by Reuters – said that United States “They are aware of the situation and are monitoring it closely.”
Main photo source: Kristijan Bracun/Associated Press/East News