Why Israel targeted cargo ship 'Galaxy Leader' as part of 'Operation Black Flag

As part of Israel's Operation Black Flag, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF)  on Monday morning targeted key ports and infrastructure controlled by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, marking a new escalation. But what stood out in the entire operation was how the IDF singled out the Bahamas-flagged cargo ship 'Galaxy Leader' to attack it.

 

The IDF confirmed the vessel came under its attack. Reason: The ship is now being used by the Houthis, an Iranian proxy militant group, to house a radar system to track shipping activity in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. 

 

The 'Galaxy Leader' was in fact a commercial car carrier which had nothing to do with Houthis, or Israel, for the matter, except that the parent firm was co-owned by an Israeli businessman, Abraham Ungar. But, in 2023, it was seized by Houthis during the start of a campaign of attacks on Red Sea shipping linked to the Gaza war.

 

The vessel was being operated by the Japanese shipping line NYK when it was seized. It was owned by Galaxy Maritime Ltd, which is registered in the Isle of Man. It was, in turn, owned by Ray Car Carriers, which is co-owned by Israeli businessman Abraham Ungar, according to documents from the Isle of Man Government's Companies registry. 

 

The ship was en route from Turkey to India when Houthi fighters used a helicopter to board the carrier. They detained the crew, which included 25 Filipinos, Mexicans, Romanians, Bulgarians and Ukrainians. It took two years of negotiations for the crew to be released. The ship was taken to the coast of Yemen after it was hijacked and has been operated by the Houthis ever since. 

 

"The Houthi terrorist regime’s forces installed a radar system on the ship and are using it to track vessels in international maritime space,” the Israeli military stated. “This vessel has become a node in their broader operations to disrupt international trade and threaten Israel," the statement said.

Middle East