A cargo ship en route to India from Turkey was hijacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on Sunday. The vessel, carrying approximately 25 crew members from diverse nationalities, was taken hostage by the Houthis, who initially asserted that it was an Israeli ship. However, Israel vehemently denied this claim, and it emerged that no Indian nationals were among the crew of the “Galaxy Leader,” the name of the vessel.
Who Are The Houthis, The Group That Hijacked An India-Bound Ship?
The Houthis are an Iran-backed rebel movement that took control of large parts of Yemen in 2011, displacing the Saudi-backed government. The group began as a Zaydi resistance movement against Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, accusing him of massive corruption and of exploiting his country’s resources for the benefit of his own family.
In 2012, the Houthis participated in a UN-sponsored National Dialogue Conference to map out Yemen’s political future but have since refused to disband their military and instead expanded their territory. They now form a quasi-government in the capital, Sanaa, and call for reshaping Yemen into a federal state, with the north designated as its region.
Although the Houthis have received some support from Gulf countries, they have been criticized for their attacks on civilian targets and the refusal to hand over power in the capital city. They are also viewed as a proxy of Iran, which has provided the rebels with arms and funding, as well as supplying military advisers to help train their fighters.
On Sunday, a representative of the Houthi army warned that the group would target all ships owned or operated by Israel or flying its flag in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb strait, according to a statement on the militants’ Telegram channel. The representative called on countries to withdraw their citizens working aboard any such vessels, and he called on people living in Yemen to join the armed resistance.
Israel condemned the incident, describing it as a “severe event of global importance.” The Houthis have long been at odds with the government in Sanaa over power-sharing and other political issues. They have also clashed with Israel and have shown solidarity with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. The group is widely believed to have Iran’s backing, which has extended to several militia groups throughout the region. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has even called for blocking maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Oman Sea as a way to pressure Israel. The UAE has backed the internationally recognized government in Yemen and has been providing humanitarian aid to the population. It is unclear whether this will change in light of the Houthi attack. The United States is monitoring the situation closely and urging all parties to defuse tensions.
