Israeli President Calls Red Sea Hijacking an Attack on Israel and International Order

Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, condemned the hijacking of a commercial ship by Houthi militants supported by the Islamic Republic in international waters as an attack on Israel and the international order. According to the Jerusalem Post, the Israeli President posted on social media platform X, stating, 'The hijacking of a commercial ship by Houthi militants supported by the Islamic Republic in international waters represents an attack not only on Israel but on the international order.' The Houthis, backed by the Islamic Republic, seized a cargo ship on Sunday that is owned by a British company and operated by Japanese interests. At the same time, the United States condemned the seizure of the ship as a violation of international law and called for the immediate release of the ship and its crew. Isaac Herzog emphasized that this action provides 'further evidence' of the Islamic Republic's role in 'the network of terrorism and global chaos.' The Israeli President also highlighted the Houthis' declared intentions and urged the international community to take decisive action against the 'clear and immediate threat' posed by the Islamic Republic. While Netanyahu's office referred to the ship as British, Iranian media insist on labeling it as Israeli. The Times of Israel, citing Arab media, reported that the ship 'Galaxy Leader' was flying the Panamanian flag, registered under a company owned by Israeli businessman Abraham Ungar, and had 22 crew members at the time of the hijacking. The hijacked ship by the Iran-backed Houthis is currently in the port of Hodeidah, Yemen. The Islamic Republic denied involvement in the Houthis' hijacking.