Trump Designates Houthis as Terrorist Organization; Crew of 'Galaxy Leader' Released

The White House announced that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has once again placed the Houthis of Yemen on the list of 'Foreign Terrorist Organizations.' Hours earlier, the Houthis announced the release of the crew of the 'Galaxy Leader' ship, which was seized by the rebel group in November 2023 at the beginning of their attacks on international shipping lines in the Red Sea. The group announced on Wednesday, January 23, that the sailors of the 'Galaxy Leader' were released through the mediation of Oman, which has long been in talks with the Houthis. Oman has not yet disclosed its role in the release of these sailors, but on Wednesday morning, a Royal Air Force jet from Oman headed to Yemen and left Yemen half an hour after the Houthis announced the news. The Houthis also stated that the extremist group Hamas had separately requested the release of these sailors, which includes 25 individuals from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Mexico. The Saba news agency, controlled by the Houthis, published a statement from the group saying, 'This action is in support of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.' This action by the Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran, is a sign of a reduction in their attacks on international shipping lines following the ceasefire in Gaza. The release of the crew of this ship coincided with Donald Trump's return to the White House but did not prevent the new U.S. President's decision to once again place the Houthis on the list of terrorist organizations. Hans Grundberg, the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, described the release of the crew as 'heartwarming news' that 'ends their arbitrary detention and separation from their families, which lasted more than a year.' He referred to the Houthis by their other name, saying, 'This is a step in the right direction, and I urge Ansar Allah to take these positive steps on all fronts, including ending all their maritime attacks.' The Houthi rebels announced in November 2023 that they had seized the 'Galaxy Leader' ship due to its connection with Israel. Since then, they have conducted multiple attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, claiming to support Palestinians in the Gaza war. The 'Galaxy Leader,' which sails under the Bahamian flag, is owned by Israeli billionaire Rami Ungar. The representative of the ship's owners has not yet provided an explanation regarding the release of its crew.