The Japanese-operated freight ship Galaxy Leader
By Emily McGarvey
BBC News
Japan has actually highly condemned the hijacking of Japanese-operated freight ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The Yemeni militia declared the vessel was Israeli, however a Japanese federal government representative stated the vehicle provider was run by Nippon Yusen.
Japan’s primary cabinet secretary stated it is working towards its release.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran, which backs the Houthi militia, for the hijacking.
Mr Netanyahu stated neither the vessel nor the team were Israeli, and called it an “Iranian attack on a global ship”.
Twenty-two individuals are thought to be on board the vessel which is believed to be British-owned.
Nippon Yusen stated the Galaxy Leader was taken off the coast of Yemen on its method to India.
“Currently, ministries and firms consisting of the transportation ministry and the foreign ministry are collecting info and dealing with the appropriate nations for the early release of the vessel and its team,” Hirokazu Matsuno, Japan’s primary cabinet secretary, stated.
Those on board are thought to consist of Bulgarians and Filipinos, without any Japanese nationals amongst the team.
The military spokesperson of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Yahya al-Sarea, declared the ship was Israeli and had actually been required to a port in Yemen.
The Houthis had actually previously threatened to target any Israeli ship within their reach in reaction to Israel’s vindictive military action in the Gaza Strip following the 7 October attack by Hamas militants.
Israel states 1,200 individuals were eliminated and more than 240 hijacked throughout the surprise Hamas attack on the south of the nation.
Israel has actually released a huge military operation – including air and weapons strikes as well as ground soldiers – with the objective of removing Hamas.
The Hamas-run health ministry states the death toll in Gaza ever since has actually reached 12,300. More than 2,000 more are feared to be buried under debris.
The Houthis have actually fired a number of rockets and drones towards Israel simply after Israel introduced its vindictive operation.
The United States stated at the time that all the rockets and drones were obstructed by its warship in the Red Sea.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) explained the attack on the ship as a “extremely severe occurrence of worldwide effect”.
The IDF stated the vessel was on its method from Turkey to India when it was taken in the southern Red Sea near Yemen.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has just recently stated that what he called resistance groups allied to Tehran were “skillfully changing pressure” on Israel and its advocates.
Previously this month, the Houthis shot down a United States military drone off Yemen’s coast, American authorities stated.
The Houthis have actually been secured an extended civil war with Yemen’s main federal government – backed by Saudi Arabia – given that 2014.
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