Photographs reveal sightseeing trips inside a vessel captured by Houthi rebels

A cargo ship called Galaxy Leader, which was seized by Yemen's Houthi rebels in November, has become a tourist attraction for groups of men who have been seen taking selfies and exploring the vessel. The Houthi militia, backed by Iran, had claimed the ship was Israeli and hijacked it as part of escalating tensions between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. However, Israel denied these claims and Japan's government stated that the ship was operated by Nippon Yusen, also known as NYK Line. The ship was carrying 25 crew members, including nationals from Bulgaria, Mexico, the Philippines, and Ukraine, when it was seized near Hodeida in Yemen while en route to India. The Japanese government has been working with relevant countries to secure the early release of the ship and crew. The Galaxy Leader is owned by Galaxy Maritime Ltd, registered in the Isle of Man, and co-owned by Israeli businessman Abraham Ungar. Images depict large groups of people entering and leaving the ship, Yemenis armed with rifles on deck, and graffiti expressing support for Hamas.