Houthis Hijack Cargo Ship in Red Sea
Threats followed by action, Yemen’s Houthis have seized a commercial vessel in the Red Sea, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sare’e said on Sunday, November 19.
On Saturday, the Iranian-backed Houthis seized the “Galaxy Leader”. This cargo ship carrying cars was, according to them, an “Israeli vessel”, despite the Hebrew state’s denials.
According to British maritime security company Ambrey, the Galaxy Leader is a car carrier owned by Ray Car Carriers. The company is owned by Israeli businessman Abraham Rami Ungar, “based in Israel”. TradeWinds confirms that Ray Car Carriers is registered in the UK and that the vessel is operated by NYK.
The Houthis’ announcement comes days after the Iranian-backed rebels threatened to target Israeli ships in the strategic sea between northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
