
File Photo - On November 19, 2023, Houthi movement started their anti-shipping campaign against Israel, helicopter-borne rebels stormed the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier, in protest against the genocidal war on Gaza. Photo X @army21ye
The Houthi supreme council "has announced the freeing of the crew of the Galaxy Leader, who were arrested on November 19, 2023 during the campaign in solidarity with Gaza", the rebel Saba news agency said.
It added that the release came "in support of the ceasefire" in Gaza which began on Sunday.
At the start of their anti-shipping campaign, helicopter-borne rebels stormed the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier, and detained its 25 international crew members.
Seventeen of the Galaxy Leader's crew are from the Philippines.
Saba said the crew were released in coordination with Hamas"and with the help of the Gulf state of Oman.
The Bahamas-flagged, British-owned Galaxy Leader is operated by a Japanese firm but has links to Israeli businessman Abraham "Rami" Ungar.
The rebels later opened the ship as an attraction for Yemeni tourists who were invited to visit the captured vessel, which was by then flying Yemeni and Palestinian flags off the rebel-held province of Hodeida.
Among the ships targeted in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden were vessels linked to Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Part of Iran's "axis of resistance", the Houthis have also repeatedly launched missile and drone on Israel since the genocidal Israeli war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023.
On Tuesday, the Houthis said that during the Gaza ceasefire they would limit their Red Sea attacks to vessels linked to Israel.
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