‘NO ISRAELIS ON SHIP’ SEIZED BY YEMEN’S HOUTHI REBELS: NETANYAHU

The Bahaman-flagged GALAXY LEADER ship purportedly hijacked by the Yemen-based Houthis on November 19, 2023.

Sun 19 October 2023:

Israel says the Houthis seized a British-owned and Japanese-operated cargo ship in the Red Sea. There was no immediate comment from the rebel group in based in Yemen.

The Houthis, an ally of Iran, have been launching long-range missile and drone salvoes at Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel is not involved in vessel’s ownership, operation, or the makeup of its international crew.

“There were no Israelis on the ship,” he said, adding the incident “represents an escalation in Iran’s belligerence against the citizens of the free world, with concomitant international ramifications vis-a-vis the security of global shipping routes”.

Last week, the Houthi leader said his forces would make further attacks on Israel and they could target Israeli ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthis on Sunday, but earlier in the day, Yahya Sarea, a spokesman for the Iran-backed Houthis, had said that the group would target all ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or carrying the Israeli flag, according to the group’s Telegram channel.

The Israeli military said in an earlier statement that the Houthis had seized a cargo ship in the southern Red Sea as it was sailing from Turkey to India, calling it “a very grave incident on a global level.”

“The ship departed Turkey on its way to India, staffed by civilians of various nationalities, not including Israelis. It is not an Israeli ship,” the Israeli military said in a social media post.

A Pentagon official said: “We’re aware of the situation and are monitoring it, closely.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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