2023-11-20 04:20:45
The “Galaxy Leader” is operated by the Japanese company Nippon Yusen (NYK). In Koper, Slovenia, September 2008. KRISTIJAN BRACUN / AP
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed on Sunday, November 19, to have seized a commercial ship in the Red Sea, owned by an Israeli businessman, and to have diverted it towards the Yemeni coast. The Israeli government condemned this ” attack “, while ensuring that the Galaxy Leader, the vessel seized, is not an Israeli cargo ship. It is a British ship operated by the Japanese company Nippon Yusen (NYK). Japan also has “strongly condemned” the attack.
The Houthis’ announcement comes days after Iranian-backed rebels threatened to target Israeli ships in this strategic sea between northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, due to the war being waged by Israel against Palestinian Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out 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” said the Houthis’ military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, on the social network X. “The Yemeni armed forces treat the ship’s crew in accordance with the teachings and values of our Islamic religion”he added, stressing that this seizure was based “on the religious, humanitarian and moral responsibility towards the oppressed Palestinian people, subjected to an unjust siege and the continuation of the horrible and heinous massacres perpetrated by the Israeli enemy”.
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The Houthis, who control a large part of Yemen at war, do not threaten “that vessels of the Israeli entity and those owned by Israelis”argued their military spokesperson.
“No Israeli” on board
“This is not an Israeli ship”assured the Israeli army for its part, specifying that the boat had on board “civilians of various nationalities, but no Israelis”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “strongly condemned the Iranian attack on an international ship”which he described “aggression” against the “free world” having consequences “on the security of global shipping lanes”.
“The ship, which is owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese company, was hijacked under Iranian direction by the Yemeni Houthi militia”adds the press release from Mr. Netanyahu’s office. “On board the ship are 25 crew members of various nationalities, including Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Filipino and Mexican. No Israelis are on board”he assured.
Information confirmed by the Japanese government which “firmly condemned” this attack. ” Here [dimanche] we have received information that the automobile carrier Galaxy Leader, operated by Nippon Yusen, was seized by the Houthis while sailing south on the Red Sea, off the coast of Yemen »declared the spokesperson for the Japanese government, Hirokazu Matsuno.
According to the maritime security company Ambrey, the Galaxy Leader is an automobile carrier owned by the company Ray Car Carriers, controlled by Israeli businessman Abraham Rami Ungar, “domiciled in Israel”. The specialized site Tradewinds confirms that the company Ray Car Carriers is registered in the United Kingdom, and that the vessel is operated by the Japanese company Nippon Yusen (NYK). The latter said on Monday that it could not immediately confirm who owned the ship.
A strategic route for international trade
According to the specialized site Marine Traffic, the Galaxy Leader, which also flies the flag of the Bahamas, was sailing off the Saudi port city of Jeddah in the Red Sea, approaching neighboring Yemen, when its radar signals were cut off on Saturday. A maritime source from the port of Hodeida (west), controlled by Yemeni rebels, affirmed for his part that “the Houthis seized a commercial ship and took it to the port of Al-Salif in Hodeida”.
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A US military source described “flagrant violation of international law” the input “from the car transporter Galaxy Leader » by the “Houthi rebels”. According to this source, Washington will contact its allies and the UN to gauge the measures “appropriate”.
In recent weeks, Houthi rebels have launched several drones and missiles towards Israeli territory.
“We have our eyes open to constantly monitor and search for any Israeli vessel”declared the leader of the Houthis, Abdel Malek Al-Houthi, in a speech on their channel Al-Massira, threatening to “target”.
The Red Sea is strategic for global trade, particularly the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, a narrow passage between Yemen and Djibouti, vital for oil traffic.
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