The Iranian-backed Houthis have openly threatened Israel numerous times since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. This is part of a wider campaign across the region by Iranian-backed proxies to threaten Israel. Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria have attacked US forces 60 times.
The Houthis have launched drones, cruise missiles, and a ballistic missile at Israel over the last month and a half. Now the Houthis have attacked a ship in the Red Sea.
The hijacking of a ship in the Red Sea with two dozen crew is a new escalation by Iran and its proxies. Iranian media is bragging about the Houthi attack. Tasnim News in Iran and the pro-Iranian Al-Mayadeen have both focused on the hijacking of the Galaxy Leader ship in the Red Sea.
In the past, Iran had mined ships and also hijacked ships using helicopters and small boats.
The IDF said that the “hijacking of a cargo ship by the Houthis near Yemen in the southern Red Sea is a very grave incident of global consequence. The ship departed Turkey on its way to India, staffed by civilians of various nationalities, not including Israelis. It is not an Israeli ship.” READ MORE