The Israeli military on Sunday said a cargo ship had been allegedly hijacked by the Yemen-based Houthi militia while sailing from Turkey to India. Terming the alleged incident a "very grave incident of global consequence", the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that the vessel, which it did not name, was not owned by any Israeli entity nor had any Israeli citizen among its crew.

"The hijacking of a cargo ship by the Houthis near Yemen in the southern Red Sea is a very grave incident of global consequence. The ship departed Turkey on its way to India, staffed by civilians of various nationalities, not including Israelis. It is not an Israeli ship," the IDF said in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

The claim was made by the IDF just hours after a spokesperson for the Houthis warned that the militia movement would target all ships owned or operated by Israeli companies, adding that other vessels sailing under Israel's flag would also fall in its line of fire, according to the Iran-backed outfit's Telegram channel.

ALSO READ: Israel-Hamas War: Over 30 Premature Babies Evacuated From Al Shifa Hospital By UN Agencies, Sent To South Of Gaza

The warning came amidst the armed conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas, which is another Iranian proxy in the Middle East, in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have launched several missile and drone attacks against Israel this month, highlighting the risk of a spillover of the conflict in Gaza.

In case the conflict in Gaza turns into a wider war in the Middle East, Israeli forces would find themselves involved in hostilities on multiple fronts. Israel has witnessed an escalation in border skirmishes with its northern neighbour Lebanon since Hamas' October 7 onslaught in Israeli territory.

ALSO READ: India Sends Second Cache Of Relief Material To War-Hit Gaza Amid Israel-Hamas War

Israel has witnessed an escalation in border skirmishes with its northern neighbour Lebanon since Hamas' October 7 onslaught in Israeli territory. Lebanon is the home of Shia Islamist political party and militant group Hezbollah. The outfit has allegedly been involved in several of the recent incidents of shelling on Israeli territory.

Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis are part of the "Axis of Resistance", which refers to an informal coalition of political and military groups in the Middle East led by Israel's arch enemy, Iran.

 

(With inputs from Reuters)