Yemen’s Houthi rebels have threatened to seize more Israeli ships in the Red Sea in protest against the Palestinian attack on Gaza. They said the Israeli ship was a “legitimate target.”
The Yemeni armed group issued this threat on Monday, a day after seizing a ship owned by an Israeli businessman.
Earlier on Sunday, Houthi rebels seized a huge ship named Galaxy Leader with 25 crew in the Red Sea. After the Houthis seized the ship, the world was in an uproar. Israel claims that Iran is involved in the seizure of the ship. On the other hand, the United States claimed that the Houthis violated international law by seizing the ship.
However, the military commander of the armed group, Major General Ali al-Moski, has indicated that the Houthis will not stop only by seizing a ship if the Israeli attack on Gaza does not stop. “Israeli ships anywhere are legitimate targets for us and we will not hesitate to take action,” he said.
Experts say the Houthis are now threatening shipping in the Red Sea’s Bab al-Manbab Strait. If this important sea route is blocked, it will have a major impact on the global oil market. Because a large part of oil tankers move through this route. Source: Times of Israel, AFP