Israel cargo ship Galaxy Leader ‘hijacked by Iran-backed militia’ in Red Sea with 22 crew on board

AN ISRAELI cargo ship has reportedly been hijacked by an Iran-backed militia group with 22 crew on board. It comes after the group – the Houthis based in Yemen – vowed they would target all ships owned by Israel or flying their flag in the Red Sea. Israeli officials confirmed the rebels had taken over the ship that is partially owned by one of their companies, according to Axios. But it is understood there are no Israeli nationals onboard the massive vehicle carrier. The ship has failed to report its positions on ship tracking services for 26 hours. It is flagged to the Bahamas – and the nationality of the crew on board is unknown. Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea demanded all countries withdraw their citizens working on the crews of any such ships. And after news broke of the ship hijacking, he said the group would release a statement in the “coming hours”. The ship is reportedly owned by Israeli businessman Rami Ungar. More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online.Thesun.co.uk is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.