The “Galaxy Leader” ship, owned by Rami Unger, was hijacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on Sunday, according to Arab media. The ship, which was carrying vehicles, left a port in Turkey headed for India and sailed under the flag of the Bahamas. The Foreign Ministry confirmed that there are 22 crew members on board, none of which are Israeli.
Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for the Iran-aligned Houthi military, Yahya Sarea, announced that the group will target all ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or carrying the Israeli flag. The spokesman also called on all countries to withdraw their citizens working on the crews of any such ships. This suggests that the hijacking could be seen as illegal piracy, rather than just a general cargo stoppage in war.
A Houthi-linked news network also stated that the rebels will target all types of ships that carry the flag of Israel or are operated by or owned by Israeli companies. This would include ships carrying cargo owned by Israelis or partially owned by Israelis.
