On the first anniversary of the start of the Red Sea crisis, the UN Security Council called on the group to release the hijacked car carrier Galaxy Leader and the 25 crewmembers that the group has held hostage since 2023.
The Galaxy Leader has been in Houthi custody since November 19, 2023, when the group’s commandos boarded the vessel using a helicopter and quickly seized control of the bridge. It was the group’s first and last hijacking, but it was a harbinger of countless kinetic attacks that followed. Houthi forces have since struck at more than 100 vessels using drones and missiles, sinking two ships, damaging countless others, and killing four seafarers.
In a statement, the Security Council called for the Houthis to cease their campaign of attacks on merchant shipping, and emphasized that the UN arms embargo on Yemen could be an important tool in reducing threats to maritime security if enforced. The council’s members called for continued international involvement in stabilizing regional security.
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