An Iranian-backed militant group hijacked an Israeli-linked cargo ship in the Red Sea yesterday.
Houthi militants rappelled from a helicopter onto the Galaxy Leader as the vessel passed near the Yemen coast. They’ve taken 25 crew members hostage but claim to be treating them “in accordance with their Islamic values.”
While a Japanese company operates the ship, Israeli tycoon Rami Ungar founded the British company that owns the vessel. The attack follows a stark warning issued by the Houthi days ago in Hebrew, Arabic, and English saying: “We will sink your ships.”
For context, the Houthis are sometimes called Yemeni rebels for their longstanding fight with that country’s military. But Noa Tishby, an opponent of antisemitism, describes the group as another jihadist organization.
Iran backs the militant group, but the Israeli Prime Minister’s office condemned the attack as an “Iranian act of terror.”