후티 반군이 헬기 강습으로 화물선을 나포

[위종민]

예멘 후티 반군이 홍해에서 바하마 국적 차량운반선 갤럭시 리더 호를 나포했는데, 모터보트가 아니라 헬기 강습으로 배를 털었네요. @.@ 

로켓포드와 헬기탑재 기관총으로 무장한 Mi-171Sh 무장헬기에서 7명의 후티 대원이 내려 배를 나포했습니다. 

모터보트에 비해 대응할 시간도 짧고, 로켓탄 등으로 무장했을 경우엔 심각한 피해를 입을 수도 있으니 이런 해적질이 널리 퍼진다면 화물선 차원에선 대응하기 쉽지 않겠습니다.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/houthi-helicopter-raid-on-ship-in-red-sea-seen-in-new-video

Houthi Helicopter Raid On Ship In Red Sea Seen In New Video

Houthi Helicopter Raid On Ship In Red Sea Seen In New Video

The video shows at least seven Houthi commandos leave a helicopter that landed on the Galaxy Leader then capture the bridge on Sunday.

BYHOWARD ALTMAN|PUBLISHED NOV 20, 2023 3:47 PM EST

THE WAR ZONE

Houthi screencap

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The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on Monday released a video showing Sunday’s helicopter-borne raid on the Galaxy Leader, a Bahamian-flagged vehicle carrier transiting the Red Sea. The Houthis still hold the ship and its 25 crew members. A U.S. military official told The War Zone it is believed to be the first Houthi helicopter attack on a ship.

The video opens with a view of a Houthi Mi-171Sh variant transport helicopter with what appear to be UB-32 rocket pods and a PKM light machine gun at the door flying toward the vessel. The helicopter - bearing the black, red, white and green Palestinian flag and the red, white and black Houthi flag - flies low over the ship stern to bow and then lands just long enough for at least seven armed Houthi fighters to jump out and board the Galaxy Leader before the helicopter flies off.

NEW VIDEO: Yemen’s Houthi rebels hijack a cargo ship in the Red Sea over the weekend pic.twitter.com/pkkUJpbe5c

— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) November 20, 2023

The commandos, armed with AK-47 variants, move out toward the bridge.

After disembarking from the helicopter, Houthi rebels move out toward the bridge. (Houthi screencap)

They approached, entered it and took at least three crew members there captive.

Houthi rebels approach then enter the bridge. (Houthi screencap)

The video then cuts to one of the rebels in a cargo hold waving a pistol in his right hand and yelling "Allahu Akbar (God is good)."

A Houthi rebel is seen walking around the empty cargo hold shouting Allahu Akbar (God is good). (Houthi screencap)

The video shows that the Houthis, who captured the Yemeni Air Force’s fleet of aircraft in 2015, have developed the skills to at least conduct a helicopter raid of a vessel at sea during the day in a moderate sea state.

The incident took place about 1 p.m. local time Sunday, according to NBC. Initial reporting said that the Houthis boarded the ship by repelling from a helicopter, but that’s either wrong or another infil that was not captured on this video.

The Houthis said they were attacking the vessel over its connection to Israel and would continue to target ships in international waters that were linked to or owned by Israelis until the end of Israel’s campaign against Gaza’s Hamas rulers, according to The Associated Press.

“All ships belonging to the Israeli enemy or that deal with it will become legitimate targets,” the Houthis said.

Initial reports said that the ship was Israeli-owned.

דיווח בסעודיה: המורדים החות'ים השתלטו על "אוניית משא ישראלית" באזור המפרץ@kaisos1987 @AmichaiStein1 pic.twitter.com/J4lcu5j5qc

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) November 19, 2023

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had blamed the Houthis for the attack on the ship but said the vessel was British-owned and that no Israelis were on board.

Statement by Prime Minister's Office:

Israel strongly condemns the Iranian attack against an international vessel.

The ship, which is owned by a British company and is operated by a Japanese firm, was hijacked with Iran guidance by the Yemenite Houthi militia.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) November 19, 2023

While Israeli officials insisted the ship was British-owned and Japanese-operated, ownership details in public shipping databases associated the ship’s owners with Ray Car Carriers, according to The Associated Press. That's a company founded by Abraham “Rami” Ungar, who is known as one of the richest men in Israel.

Ungar told The Associated Press he was aware of the incident but couldn’t comment as he awaited details. A ship linked to him experienced an explosion in 2021 in the Gulf of Oman. Israeli media blamed it on Iran at the time. 

Authorities confirmed Monday that the captain and the first mate on the Galaxy Leader were Bulgarians. 

The ship’s Japanese operator, NYK Line, said the vessel had no cargo at the time of the hijacking, according to The Associated Press. Its crewmembers are from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico, NYK said.

Japan on Monday condemned the hijacking and said it was working with the rebels for its return, the BBC reported. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the Japanese government was doing its utmost for an early release of the crew through negotiations with Houthi rebels, while also communicating with Israel and cooperating with the governments of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iran.

Japan condemns Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack of cargo ship in Red Sea https://t.co/su66FITqQJ

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) November 20, 2023

"The Houthi militants’ seizure of the motor vessel Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea is a flagrant violation of international law," a U.S. military official told The War Zone Monday. "We demand the immediate release of the ship and its crew. We will consult with our allies and UN partners as to appropriate next steps.”

This is the latest in a series of incidents involving the Houthi rebels since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Gaza war on Oct. 7.

On Nov. 15, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner downed a drone launched from Yemen while in the Red Sea. One official told us that it was a Houthi drone directly attacking the vessel. As we reported last month, the Arleigh-Burke class destroyer USS Carney destroyed four Houthi land attack cruise missiles and nearly 20 drones. On Nov. 8, the Houthis also shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the same body of water. The rebel group has also been firing cruise and ballistic missiles and launching drones at targets in Israel in response to that country's ongoing operations in the Gaza Strip.

This latest incident involving the Houthis shows they have no intention of backing down and that they have the increased their ability to threaten shipping, something they've been doing for years.

In the past, the Houthis carried out several attacks on ships belonging to the Saudi-led coalition that its been at war with. As we wrote previously, however, those attacks were claimed to be carried out by rockets, missiles and drone boats.

The video from Sunday's raid is reminiscent of an April 2023 raid by Iran on a U.S.-bound oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman. Footage from that incident showed Iranian naval forces rappelling from a helicopter to seize the ship.

First video of Iranian Navy seizing Marshall Islands-flag oil tanker Advantage Sweet in the Gulf of Oman yesterday on the charge of hit & run to an Iranian ship.
They used an SH-3D helicopter to board the tanker. pic.twitter.com/2fd6YLm58p

— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) April 28, 2023

The level of training the Houthis have received from Iran on these types of missions is unknown, though the fact that Houthis can now raid ships by helicopter raises the stakes. Other than reported ongoing talks between Japan and the Houthis, the international response to this situation is still evolving.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com