Hijacking of the Galaxy Leader ship. Here's what the Houthi operation looked like
The Iran-affiliated Yemeni Houthi militia released a recording documenting the hijacking of the cargo ship, Galaxy Leader. The incident transpired on Sunday in the Red Sea.
8:52 AM EST, November 22, 2023
An unsettling recording went viral on the internet, depicting the moment the Houthi militants attacked a cargo ship associated with Israel on the Red Sea, taking the sailors hostage.
Militants descend from a helicopter, brandishing weapons
The recording presents the insurgents descending from a helicopter, armed and navigating around the ship's upper deck. They quickly rushed towards the bridge and intimidated several crew members, who promptly raised their hands in surrender.
The footage then transitions to what appears to be the hold inside the ship. A militant is seen waving a weapon in the air while communicating via radio.
No Israeli individuals were present among the crew members of the Galaxy Leader, a ship transporting cargo from Turkey to India.
Swift response from Israel
Though the ship's operator that sails under the Bahamas flag is Japan, the vessel is owned by a British company in which the Israeli businessman, Rami Unger, holds shares.
This incident is described as "another act of Iranian terrorism, underlining the escalation of Iran's war activities against the citizens of the free world, further threatening the safety of international navigation," according to the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as quoted by Reuters.
Iran immediately distanced itself from the actions of the militants, asserting that Israel was attempting to divert attention away from its ongoing defeats in Gaza.
The Houthi, an ally of Tehran, launches missiles and long-range drones at Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian group Hamas. Last week, the Houthi leader confirmed that his forces will continue to launch more attacks on Israel, potentially targeting Israeli ships on the Red Sea.
