Washington will confer with allies on how to respond to Houthi rebels’ hijacking of a car carrier in the Red Sea, where the US Navy leads a maritime security task force.
State Department spokesman Matt Miller joined condemnation of the seizure of Ray Car Carriers’ 5,100-ceu Galaxy Leader (built 2002).
“The Houthi seizure of the motor vessel Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea is a flagrant violation of international law,” he said in a press briefing.
“We demand the immediate release of the ship and its crew, and we will consult with our allies and UN partners, as appropriate, on next steps.”
TradeWinds has requested details from the US Navy on whether the hijacking by an Iranian-backed militia changes its posture in the Red Sea. A spokesman at the Bahrain-based US armed forces Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The US Navy took over command of Combined Task Force 153 in June.
One of five task forces under the 38-nation Combined Maritime Forces, it is responsible for carrying out maritime security and training operations in the Red Sea region. It is led from Bahrain, where the US has its headquarters for the navy’s Fifth Fleet and the armed forces’ Central Command.
Combined Task Force 153 is led by US Navy Captain Anthony Webber, who is also in charge of Task Force 55, which controls the Fifth Fleet’s operational staff who oversee US Navy surface assets in the Middle East.
Unlike recent seizures of commercial ships by the Iranian military, the Combined Maritime Forces have been silent about the Galaxy Leader seizure, even though the helicopter boarding and seizure bear the hallmarks of Tehran’s tactics.
United Against Nuclear Iran, a New York advocacy group, called on the US-led maritime forces to take immediate action.
Chief executive Mark Wallace and chief of staff Claire Jungman said the Galaxy Leader hijacking shows the wide reach of Iran’s proxy network.
“The attack on a British-owned, Japanese-operated and Bahamian-flagged vessel linked to an Israeli firm and carrying a multinational crew is an act of piracy, terror and hostage-taking that challenges freedom of navigation and demands an unambiguous international response,” they said in a statement.
The Galaxy Leader is owned by Ray Car Carriers, which is controlled by Rami Ungar of Israel. The pure car/truck carrier is operated by Japan’s NYK Group.
The UANI leaders said it is the responsibility of the Combined Maritime Forces, and specifically Combined Task Force 153, to come to the ship’s aid.
Wallace and Youngman argued President Joe Biden to order the US Navy and its allies “to lead operations to retake” the Galaxy Leader from the Houthis and free the seafarers held hostage on the vessel.
And naval forces should “restore deterrence” against Houthi threats on freedom of navigation.
“This necessarily includes military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen,” they said, adding that the Houthi organisation should be put back on US list of terrorist groups.
“President Biden should also recognise that the threat of Iranian-backed terrorism is rising and efforts to curb attacks by proxy terror groups of the Iranian regime are failing. Stronger action is necessary.”
Read more
- Wavelength: Why shipowners should be alert — and not just in the Red Sea
- Shipowners urged to check vessels’ previous Israeli links after Houthi car carrier seizure
- Houthi rebel video purportedly shows hijacking by helicopter
- Ray Car Carriers vessels abort Red Sea transits after Houthi seizure
- Ray Car Carriers ship reported hijacked in Red Sea
