A commercial ship, the Galaxy Leader, was seized in the Red Sea by Houthi rebels, an Iran-backed Yemeni militia, according to multiple sources. The ship, which is Japanese-operated and British-owned, was carrying 25 crew members of various nationalities, including 17 Filipino seafarers. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines confirmed the presence of the Filipino crew members and stated that it is making diplomatic representations with governments regarding the situation.
The Houthi rebels initially claimed that the vessel was Israeli, initiating what they referred to as a 'battle at sea'. However, this claim was denied by both Israel and Japan, with the latter confirming that the ship was operated by Nippon Yusen. The rebels' claim was seen as a retaliation for Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, as the Iranian-backed group has launched several missiles towards Israel since the war began, all of which have been intercepted.
In response to the hijacking, two other commercial ships, connected to the same maritime group as the Galaxy Leader, diverted their course in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This information was confirmed by shipping data and British maritime security company Ambrey. Galaxy Maritime Ltd, the registered owner of the Galaxy Leader, stated that the vessel was illegally boarded by military personnel via a helicopter.
The incident has led to international repercussions, with the White House considering redesignating Yemen's Houthi rebels as a 'terrorist' group. This comes after the US had delisted the Houthis as a 'foreign terrorist organization' in 2021 to facilitate aid deliveries to Yemen.