India-Bound Israeli-Owned Ship Hijacked In Red Sea; IDF Reacts

Yemen-based Houthi rebels have allegedly hijacked a cargo ship, the Galaxy Leader, in the Red Sea with up to 22 crew members on board. Armed men reportedly boarded the Bahaman-flagged ship as it travelled south past the Arabian peninsula on its way to India this weekend. The ship is registered under a British company that is partially owned by an Israeli tycoon, according to reports, and is on lease to a Japanese company.

IDF Reacts To Highjack

The Israeli Defence Forces have said there are no citizens from the state on board and denied the ship was Israeli. IDF, however, called it a “grave incident”. The incident comes just hours after the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, which has fought a bloody civil war against the Yemeni government since the 1990s, vowed to target ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea in retaliation for its response to the October 7 attacks.

Ship's Crew Includes Different Nationals

The ship left Turkey on its way to India, staffed by civilians of various nationalities, including: Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Filipinos and Mexicans. The ship’s last known location was east of Port Sudan in the Red Sea on Saturday.

Published on: Monday, November 20, 2023, 09:30 AM IST