Israel Blames Iran for Seizing Vessel in the Red Sea

Israel has condemned the seizure of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and has accused Iran of involvement, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

Earlier, Arab media reported that on Sunday, fighters from the Ansar Allah movement, which rules northern Yemen, managed to capture the Galaxy Leader, a commercial cargo ship flying the flag of the Bahamas, but reportedly owned by an Israeli company.

The Houthis stated that their actions were a show of support for Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip in light of Israeli military operations.

Later, the Israel Defense Forces announced that the ship is not Israeli and that there are no Israeli crew members on board.

“We strongly condemn Iran’s attack on an international vessel. The ship, which is owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese firm, was seized in Yemen by Houthi militants at Iran’s command,” the statement from the Prime Minister’s office said.