Houthi rebels in Yemen seize control of a cargo ship on the Red Sea.

Yemen's Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran, claim to have captured an Israeli cargo ship in the Red Sea. They have stated that the ship was taken to a port in Yemen. However, Israel denies that the vessel is Israeli and confirms that there were no Israelis among the crew members. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has labeled this incident as "another act of Iranian terrorism." Iran has not provided any comment on the matter. The Houthis had previously threatened to seize an Israeli ship in retaliation for Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel reports that over 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 taken hostage during a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7. In response, Israel initiated a large-scale military operation with the goal of eliminating Hamas, using air and artillery strikes as well as ground troops. The death toll in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has now reached 12,300, with over 2,000 people feared to be buried under the rubble. The Houthis have launched several missiles and drones towards Israel following its retaliatory operation. The United States has stated that all of these projectiles were intercepted by one of its warships in the Red Sea. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have described the vessel's attack, without disclosing its name, as a "very serious incident that has global consequences." The IDF reports that the ship was seized in the southern Red Sea near Yemen while en route from Turkey to India. Although Israel denies any association with the seized vessel, there are unconfirmed reports suggesting that it may have an Israeli owner. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned the Iranian attack on a social media platform, revealing that the ship is owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese firm. He added that the crew members, totaling 25, were of different nationalities including Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Filipino, and Mexican. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian recently stated that resistance groups aligned with Tehran were strategically increasing pressure on Israel and its allies. Earlier in the month, the Houthis shot down a US military drone off the coast of Yemen. The Houthis have been engaged in a protracted civil war against Yemen's official government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia, since 2014.