Watan-Yemeni activists are circulating a video clip that they claim documents the moment the Israeli ship was seized by the Houthi-affiliated group known as Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, in Yemen.
The video shows armed members of the Houthi group climbing the ship, brandishing their weapons before taking control of the vessel and capturing it.
فيديو متداول
لحظة استيلاء #جماعة_الحوثي على #سفينه_اسرائيليه في #البحر_الأحمر #غزة #كتائب_االقسام #طوفات_الاقصى pic.twitter.com/8aJgvGOnf9— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) November 20, 2023
The Houthi group has disclosed details of the seizure of the ship
The Yemeni Houthi group announced that it ‘took control of an Israeli ship in the Red Sea and towed it to the Yemeni coast.’
According to a Houthi military statement, the naval forces affiliated with the group carried out a military operation in the Red Sea, seizing an Israeli ship and towing it to the Yemeni coast.
In a related context, the Houthi group threatened all ships affiliated with Israel or those dealing with it, declaring them legitimate targets for the group’s forces, as stated in the statement.
Ansar Allah reiterated that the Houthi operations only pose a threat to ships of the Israeli entity owned by Israelis, emphasizing the continuation of military operations against Israel until the aggression on the Gaza Strip ceases.
بيانٌ صادرٌ عنِ القواتِ المسلحةِ اليمنية
بسمِ اللهِ الرحمنِ الرحيم
قال تعالى: { إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یُحِبُّ ٱلَّذِینَ یُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِهِۦ صَفࣰّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنۡیَـٰنࣱ مَّرۡصُوصࣱ } صدقَ اللهُ العظيمتنفيذاً لتوجيهاتِ قائدِ الثورةِ السيدِ القائدِ عبدِالملكِ بدرِ الدين الحوثي… pic.twitter.com/B6SnyshYhG
— العميد يحيى سريع (@army21ye) November 19, 2023
Netanyahu Comments on the Houthi Seizure of the Ship
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Houthi group’s seizure of a ship in the Red Sea is a ‘leap forward’ concerning Iranian attacks, creating international repercussions for the security of international shipping lanes.
Netanyahu condemned what he termed an ‘Iranian attack on an international ship’ in a statement from his office. He asserted that the ship’s hijacking was carried out under Iranian directives by the Houthis in Yemen.
He added that the ship attacked by the Houthis is owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese company.
Furthermore, he stated, ‘There are 25 individuals on board the ship with different nationalities, including Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Filipinos, and Mexicans.’ Netanyahu claimed that there are no Israelis on board the ship.
Iran declares the expansion of the war by resistance factions.
In response to these developments, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian warned on Sunday of the possibility of the region witnessing a new situation.
Abdollahian stated in press remarks, ‘We are witnessing the first phase of the expansion of the war by the resistance factions, which have independently decided to support Palestine.’
He added that if all possible scenarios to halt Israeli crimes in the short term fail, all possibilities are on the table, and the situation in the region may change.