Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced on Wednesday that they would release the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a merchant ship they hijacked 14 months ago as part of a Red Sea offensive aimed at supporting Hamas in its war with Israel.
The decision coincides with Iran-backed rebels’ announcement on Sunday that they would scale back attacks in light of a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict that took effect over the weekend.
The Houthis took the galactic leader to Yemen’s al-Hudaydah port and have been holding the crew hostage ever since. The World Cargo News website reported in November: 25 crew members Also included were citizens of the Philippines, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Mexico and Romania.
Senior Houthi official Nasser al-Din Amer said on social media that the detained crew members would be released on Wednesday. Yemeni TV station al-Masira, which is affiliated with the rebels, said the decision was ordered by Houthi leader Abdul Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, coordinated with Hamas and mediated by Oman. Ta.
We could not independently confirm the release.
The Galaxy Leader, which is designed to carry vehicles and flies the Bahamian flag, was shown on Wednesday “parked” in the Red Sea, out of satellite navigation range. According to Marine Trafficis a ship tracking app and website that provides real-time information about ships around the world.
The seizure of the ship, which was en route from Turkey to India, was one of the most daring maritime operations by the Houthis, carried out at the start of their operation in support of Hamas, which attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Ta. This triggered the Gaza war.
At the time, the Houthis threatened to target Israeli-flagged, owned and operated ships in the Red Sea. After the Galaxy leader was captured, a Houthi spokesperson announced that the hijacking was a show of support for the “oppressed Palestinian people.”
Although the Israeli military said there were no Israelis on board the Galaxy Leader, the Paradise Papers, a major leak of top secret documents, revealed that Israeli billionaire Rami Unger at one time owned the ship. It appears that he was the real owner of the company. 2017 revealed the hidden world of wealth and ownership. A beneficial owner of a company is a person who controls the company, owns one-quarter or more of its shares, or derives a significant economic benefit from the company.
The Houthi campaign against Israel has disrupted maritime traffic in one of the world’s most important shipping lanes, forcing many ships to make longer voyages around the Cape of Good Hope at Africa’s southern tip.
In recent months, the group has also launched a series of missile attacks against Israel. Most of the missiles were intercepted before reaching Israeli territory, but the Israeli military responded with a series of airstrikes against rebel-linked targets in Yemen.
Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdulsalam said. social media On Sunday, he said supporting the Palestinian cause would remain a top priority after the ceasefire. The Houthis said they would stop targeting all ships “as soon as all stages of the ceasefire agreement are fully implemented.” ”But they said they would continue to target vessels owned by Israeli individuals or entities, or vessels flying the Israeli flag.
But an email sent Sunday said: Houthi-related groups The Houthis have been in touch with the shipping industry, warning that if the US or UK attacks Yemen directly, they will resume attacks on ships linked to those countries.
