Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno expressed, on Monday, his strong condemnation of the Yemeni Houthis’ seizure of the “Galaxy Leader” vehicle carrier, operated by the Japanese company “Nippon Yusen KK”, in the southern part of the Red Sea.
The Japanese government spokesman said in a press conference: We strongly condemn the detention of the ship, adding that the Japanese government is working with the countries concerned, including Israel, to urge the Houthi group to release the ship and its crew members soon, according to the Japanese “Jiji Press” news agency.
Matsuno said there were no Japanese on board the cargo ship.
Matsuno added: We will respond as needed in cooperation with the countries concerned, based on developments in the situation.
Today, Monday, Nippon Yusen formed a work team to deal with the accident, and the company intensified efforts to collect information, including the safety of the 25 crew members on board the “Galaxy Leader” car carrier, owned by a British company.
The public relations official at Nippon Yusen said that the owner company informed him on Sunday night that the Galaxy Leader had been seized while on its way to India.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announces that the forces seized an Israeli ship
The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, confirmed yesterday that the Houthi naval forces seized an Israeli ship in the Red Sea.
Saree said, in a televised speech: Our naval forces succeeded in seizing an Israeli ship in the Red Sea and taking it to the Yemeni coast.
He stressed that the Houthi group’s operations only threaten Israeli and Israeli-owned ships, he said.
He stressed that these military operations come out of responsibility towards the Palestinian people and in response to the Israeli massacres against them.
Saree renewed the warning to all ships belonging to Israel or dealing with it that they will become a legitimate target for the Houthis.
Arab and Hebrew media reported reports about the Houthis hijacking an Israeli ship in the Red Sea.
For its part, the Israeli occupation army denied today that the ship hijacked by the Houthis in the Red Sea was Israeli or had any Israelis on board.
