Yemen’s Houthi rebels today released a video of the capture of the cargo ship ‘Galaxy Leader’ during a military operation carried out in the Red Sea on Sunday, using a helicopter to land on the ship and take it to the Yemeni coast to bring.

The footage, broadcast by Al Masira Television, close to the Houthis, showed a helicopter painted with the flag of Yemen and Palestine landing on the ship, upon which a dozen masked fighters armed with assault rifles descended.

While inspecting the ship, the attackers entered the cockpit where there were approximately four crew members, who raised their arms without resistance when threatened at gunpoint.

After taking control of the ship, about five motorboats guarded the ship to guide it to an unspecified Yemeni port, the footage showed, which showed no scenes of shootings or graphic violence.

The Houthis announced on Sunday the capture of the ship, which they claimed belongs to Israel, stating that such operations only target Israeli-flagged or owned ships.

The cargo ship Galaxy Leader, which was carrying vehicles, is owned by a British company but operated by the Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen (NYK Line), which indicated that the crew consisted of 25 sailors of Bulgarian descent. time of seizure. , Ukrainian, Filipino, Mexican and Romanian.

The seized ship, which was en route from India to Turkey, flew the flag of the Bahamas and is believed to be partly owned by Israeli tycoon Rami Unger, which is said to have prompted the operation.

Following the Houthis’ announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office “strongly condemned” what it deemed “an Iranian attack on an international ship,” but Tehran today rejected these accusations.

The Japanese government, for its part, condemned the capture of the cargo ship owned by a Japanese company and requested the release of the 25 sailors of the crew who were taken hostage in the incident.

The Houthis assured that they will continue similar operations “against the Israeli enemy until the aggression against the Gaza Strip ceases and the heinous crimes that continue until this moment cease,” both in the Palestinian enclave and in the West Bank. (JO)