Houthi rebels in Yemen hijacked an Israeli-linked car carrier at the weekend, dragging global shipping into the conflict and heightening fears of further attacks.
The Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader was chartered to Japanese carrier NYK Line and was traveling between Turkey and Indiawhen it was boarded in the Red Sea.
The ship wasn’t carrying cargo, but 25 crew members from a range of countries were taken hostage.
The seizure highlights how a war that started in early October and has so far been contained mostly to Israel and the Palestinian territories can ripple through supply chains.
The vessel is owned by a unit of a company tied to an Israeli businessman.
The Iran-backed rebels say they will continue to target vessels linked to Israel because of its attacks on Gaza.
Source: Costas Paris (WSJ)
Photo credit: The Galaxy Leader, OWEN FOLEY/REUTERS
