Why have Yemen's Houthis hijacked an India-bound ship? How's this linked to the war?

The Israel-Hamas war has spread to the waters of the Red Sea as Yemen’s Houthi militia group hijacked a cargo-ship bound for India from Turkey. A day after they hijacked the vessel – Galaxy Leader – which has 25 crew members on board, the Houthis also put out a video of them doing so, dropping from a helicopter and taking over. The Houthis also issued a statement, asserting, “All ships belonging to the Israeli enemy or that deal with it will become legitimate targets.” But who are the Houthis and how are they linked to the Israel-Hamas war? Why have they seized a ship which was enroute to India? Who are the Houthis? The Houthis are Zaydi Shiites, or Zaydiyyah and are in minority today in Yemen. However, that was not the case earlier. They ruled Yemen until the civil war broke out in 1962 and it was then that they were sidelined. As per The Guardian, the Houthis over the years slowly gained ground outside their traditional northern strongholds. In 2014, they came into prominence fighting against Yemen’s Sunni-majority government. Since then they have been in power in northern Yemen, including the official capital Sanaa, and the official government now operates out of Aden. Their slogan has long been: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.” As per Brookings, the group’s official name is Ansar Allah – meaning ‘supporters of God’. The Houthis have long been long backed by Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Iran – which also sponsors Hamas and the Lebanese Shiite militia group Hezbollah , which continues to trade deadly cross-border fire with the Israelis. According to analysis and studies, the Houthis take inspiration from the Hezbollah. A Brookings report stated, “Although different kinds of Shiites, the two groups have a natural attraction. Hezbollah provided inspiration and expertise for the Houthis. Iran was a secondary source of support, especially since the Houthis and Iranians share a common enemy in Saudi Arabia.” Notably, today, the Houthis are a significant fighting force; they have thousands of fighters and a huge arsenal of missiles and armed drones, reports Reuters. [caption id=“attachment_13410722” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Houthi fighters fire anti-tank grenades during a military manoeuvre near Sanaa. Reuters[/caption] What role do Houthis play in the Israel-Hamas war? The Houthis have long espoused an anti-Israel stance and abide by a strong hard-line Islamist ideology. In fact, they have announced their support for “brothers and sisters in Palestine”. And following the 7 October attack perpetrated by Hamas against Israel and the consequent violence, the Yemeni group on 31 October announced that they have joined the Israel-Hamas war on behalf of the Hamas side and have fired several missiles towards Tel Aviv since then. An Associated Press report states that since 7 October the Iran-backed Shiite Muslim force has launched at least six drone and missile attacks toward southern Israel. However, they have caused little to no damage, as most have been intercepted by Israeli air defences.

What about the hijacking of the ship? On Sunday, a cargo ship, Galaxy Leader, was heading from Turkey to Pipavav in India’s Gujarat when it was hijacked by the Yemeni-Houthis. The ship is a British company and operated by the Japanese. However, the Houthis insist that the cargo ship is Israeli, owned by Abraham Rami Ungar, a claim rejected by Tel Aviv after the hijacking. The ship has now been taken to Hodeidah port area in Yemen, the rebel group confirmed. There are 25 crew members, belonging to Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Mexico and the Philippines on the ship when it was hijacked.

Footage of Houthi forces hijacking the ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea yesterday. pic.twitter.com/PSFLpV4FLA

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) November 20, 2023

The hijacking is in line with the Houthis previous statement in which they said that they would attack Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea and the crucial Bab al-Mandeb, a narrow strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, if Israel continued its bloodshed in Palestine. “Our eyes are open to constantly monitor and search for any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, especially in Bab al-Mandab, and near Yemeni regional waters,” the leader of the group, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, said in a broadcast speech last week, as reported by Reuters. And following Sunday’s incident, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesman was quoted as telling AP, “The detention of the Israeli ship is a practical step that proves the seriousness of the Yemeni armed forces in waging the sea battle, regardless of its costs… This is the beginning,” he added. [caption id=“attachment_13410682” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea. Reuters[/caption] How have countries reacted? Early on Monday, Japan confirmed that the cargo vessel had been hijacked and that they were appealing with the Houthis for the release of the ship. Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said that Tokyo is “communicating with Israel, and in addition to directly approaching the Houthis, we are also urging Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran and other countries concerned to strongly urge the Houthis for the early release of the vessel and crew members.” Israel too reacted to the hijacking, deeming it as an “Iranian act of terrorism”. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted as saying, “This is another act of Iranian terrorism which expresses a leap forward in Iran’s aggression against the citizens of the free world, and creates international implications regarding the security of global shipping lanes.” [caption id=“attachment_13410702” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Houthi military helicopter hovers over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship as Houthi fighters walk on the ship’s deck in the Red Sea. Reuters[/caption] Echoing similar sentiments, the Israeli military said on social media: “The hijacking of a cargo ship by the Houthis near Yemen in the southern Red Sea is a very grave incident of global consequence.” The United States, which has been a staunch ally of Israel, also denounced the seizure of vessel, calling it a violation of international law and demanded the immediate release of the vessel and its crew. “The Houthi seizure of the motor vessel Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea is a flagrant violation of international law,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a briefing. “We demand the immediate release of the ship and its crew and we will consult with our allies and UN partners as to appropriate next steps.” Why this hijacking matters? The Houthis hijacking of the ship is significant. This marks the first time the Yemeni fighters have been known to seize control of a commercial vessel after insertion by helicopter. Moreover, it has the potential to trigger a serious escalation in the latest Israel-Palestine conflict, and could even draw the United States and Iran into direct involvement in the war. With inputs from agencies