Yemen’s Houthi rebels hijack Israeli-linked ship in the Red Sea, take crew hostage
PBS NewsHourNov 23, 2023
Yemen's Houthi Rebels Seize Israeli-Linked Cargo Ship
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Image copyright: Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed to have captured a cargo ship and taken its 25 crew members hostage on Sunday on one of the world's most crucial shipping routes in the Red Sea off Yemen's port city of Hodeida.
The rebels argue the seizure of the Bahamas-flagged "Galaxy Leader," which is allegedly Israeli-owned, is a reaction to the "heinous acts against our Palestinian brothers in Gaza and the West Bank."
The Spin
Pro-Iran narrative
By accusing Iran of being the mastermind behind the hijacking of the Israeli-linked freighter, Tel Aviv is merely trying to conceal the regional dimension of Muslim resistance against Israel's devastating aggression in Gaza. The hijacking of the ship underlines that the Houthis are an autonomous force serious about fighting alongside the Palestinians. If Israel wants to avoid total defeat and an incalculable regional expansion of the conflict, it must stop its campaign of collective punishment immediately.
Anti-Iran narrative
The hijacking of this freighter is the latest episode in the broad regional campaign by Iranian-backed proxies to threaten Israel's existence. Iran is now building on its questionable expertise in hijacking free world cargo ships in the Red Sea. Since Tehran has yet to face any consequences, it's now using its dangerous Houthi forces to escalate the Gaza war and jeopardize world trade. It's time the international community puts Iran and its proxies in their place to prevent a regional escalation.
