A military helicopter landed on the cargo ship ‘Galaxy Leader’ in the Red Sea on Sunday, armed Houthi rebels jumped out and took control of the ship and its crew. The cargo ship was chosen by the declared Jew haters because it has ties to Israel. Japan now wants to mediate in the release.
Tokyo is “in contact with Israel,” Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said on Monday. “In addition to contacting the Houthis directly, we also urge Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran and other affected countries to urge the Houthis to release the ship and crew members as soon as possible,” she said.
Hostage taking condemned “in the strongest possible terms”.
The seizure of the ship was “strongly” condemned by the Japanese government. Kamikawa added that they will “continue to take necessary measures in cooperation with the affected countries, taking into account the situation.”
The car transporter flies the flag of the Bahamas and is chartered by the Japanese company Nippon Yusen. The company said it had been informed of the incident by the British company Galaxy Maritime. The company formed a response team to gather information and ensure the safety of the 25 crew members.
The Iran-backed Shiite militant group said on Sunday it had hijacked the ship in the Red Sea and brought it to the Yemeni coast. According to their own statements, the Houthi rebels hijacked the car freighter because it had a connection to Israel. The owner of the ship is the company Ray Car Carriers, whose parent company is owned by Israeli businessman Abraham “Rami” Ungar.
“Curse on the Jews”
The Houthis also released a video showing the attack on the cargo ship (see above). It shows the ship being stormed and the crew members being taken hostage. An armed man is seen walking through the empty cargo deck and shouting into the radio the slogan that is also on the Houthis’ flag: ‘Allah is the greatest, death to America, death to Israel, curse on the Jews, victory for Islam ‘. .” “We will come to you in Jerusalem,” he adds.
“Iranian terrorist act”
The Israeli military said it was not an Israeli ship. The hijacking of a cargo ship by the Houthis was “a very serious incident of global importance,” the report said. The Israeli Foreign Ministry called it an “Iranian act of terror.”
Tehran rejected the accusation of involvement in the hijacking. Iran supports the Houthis in the civil war in Yemen. Yemeni rebels have fired several rockets and drones at Israel since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas terror attack.
No Israelis on board
According to Israeli information, the cargo ship was traveling between Turkey and India. The 25-person crew consists of Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Filipinos and Mexicans. Israeli citizens were therefore not on board.
The Houthis see themselves as part of the self-proclaimed “Axis of Resistance” directed against Israel. This also includes other Iranian-backed groups such as the radical Islamist Hamas and the Shia Islamist Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. Nearly a week ago, the Houthi rebels threatened Israel with attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
