President Isaac Herzog stated that the Iran-backed Houthi militia’s seizure of a merchant ship in international waters is an attack on the international order. The militia, based in Yemen, captured the ship on November 19, with 25 crew members of different nationalities on board. The United States condemned the seizure as a breach of international law and demanded the immediate release of the vessel and its crew.
Herzog called the incident “further proof” that “Iran’s network of terrorism and chaos is threatening the world.” He emphasized that the Houthis “announced their intent ahead of time and publicized footage glorifying the attack,” and criticized the inaction of the international community. A photo released by Houthi Military Media/Reuters showed a Houthi fighter standing on the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea.
Herzog warned that the regime in Tehran is a “clear and present danger to all of us” and urged the international community to take forceful action to respond to this threat. He concluded by calling on all nations who value order and freedom to find their voice and act decisively.
The article includes contributions from Reuters.
