Houthis Claim Responsibility for Seizing Israeli Ship in the Red Sea
The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group seized Sunday a cargo ship in the southern Red Sea as it was sailing from Turkey to India, marking the first attack on the Israeli ships in the Red Sea since the start of the Gaza-Israel war on October 7.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said 25 crew members of various nationalities, including Bulgarians, Filipinos, Mexicans and Ukrainians but no Israelis, had been on board the hijacked Bahamas-flagged ship. The Israeli military said the hijacking was a "very grave incident of global consequence."
Satellite tracking data showed that the Galaxy Leader was traveling in the Red Sea southwest of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, more than a day ago. The vessel had been in Korfez, Turkey, and was on its way to Pipavav, India, when the Houthi group in Yemen seized it.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement, "This is another Iranian act of terrorism that represents an escalation in Iran's belligerence against the citizens of the free world, with concomitant international ramifications vis-a-vis the security of global shipping routes."
Yahya Sarea, the military spokesperson for the Houthi group, confirmed the group's responsibility for seizing the Israeli ship, saying, "It was moved to the Yemeni coast." He said the group will target all vessels owned or operated by Israeli companies or carrying the Israeli flag.He called on all countries to withdraw their citizens working on the crews of any such ships.
Informed sources expected a retaliatory strike on some of the Houthi group's naval operations rooms run by Iranian experts, especially in Al-Luhayah, Al-Salif, and Kamaran Island of Al-Hudaydah off the Red Sea.
The hijacked ship is Galaxy Leader, registered under a British company, which is partially possessed by Israeli tycoon Abraham Ungar, the founder of Ray Shipping Ltd., and is known as one of the wealthiest businessmen in Israel.
Last week, a US Navy warship shot down a drone that "originated from Yemen and was heading in the direction of the ship." Houthi officials said they owned that drone.
In late September, the Houthi specialized naval forces received intensive training in Al-Luhiyadistrict of Al-Hudaydah. Informed sources told Sheba Intelligence that the training focused on the mechanism of ship piracy, the use of sea mines, kidnappings, and weapons smuggling.The trainers of the Houthi naval force were foreign experts, according to the sources.
