Newly released satellite imagery shows extensive damage to a hijacked commercial vessel struck by Israeli forces off Yemen, underlining mounting maritime tensions in the Red Sea region.
The vessel, identified as MV Galaxy Leader, had been taken over last year by Iran-backed Houthi rebels and held at Yemeni port Hodeidah since. Security analysts and naval observers believe the ship has been used by Houthi rebels as an arms depot since Israel-Hamas conflict flared up in Gaza. Security experts noted that Israeli-linked vessels and Western vessels have increasingly come under attack since Houthi began intensifying operations against them.
Images released by Maxar Technologies on Wednesday reveal damage to large portions of a ship’s superstructure that appear scorched or collapsed, with evidence of at least two precision-guided missile strikes. According to Israeli military officials, who described this operation as part of ongoing defensive measures against Yemen-related threats.
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s Defense Minister, explained in a statement that this strike was both “surgical and preemptive.” Its goal was to neutralize assets that were being used for drone and missile attacks against Israeli and international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Gallant stated, “We have taken action to address direct threats to Israeli maritime security.” According to him, Houthi rebels converted an Israeli vessel into an Iranian-supplied weapons depot threatening vital commercial routes essential to global economic security.
The Galaxy Leader was initially operated by Japanese shipping magnate Rami Ungar before it was commandeered by Houthi forces in November 2023 and taken hostage near Hodeidah by Houthi forces, holding onto makeshift fortifications as well as weapons storage containers installed aboard. Previous satellite images also show evidence that such vessels may contain weapons storage capabilities.
Houthi media outlets such as Al Masirah TV acknowledged Israel’s strike, yet claimed it caused “limited damage and no casualties”. Independent analysts disagreed with that assessment; infrared heat signatures and blast patterns indicated internal fires as well as likely personnel losses during this attack.
Yemeni port authorities who are aligned with Houthi administration have restricted access to the area and prevented journalists from visiting it, further fuelling speculation as to the extent and strategic value of any damage sustained to the ship.
Regional Escalation Israel’s strike marks an expansion of the maritime front in the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has drawn in actors across the region. Houthi forces have claimed responsibility for multiple drone and missile launches targeting commercial tankers as well as naval vessels with Western or Israeli ties over the last six months.
As a response, the United States and United Kingdom conducted joint airstrikes against Houthi missile launch sites and radar installations – reflecting international concern over security along one of the busiest shipping lanes worldwide.
The United Nations has issued an appeal for restraint and dialogue, warning of Red Sea tensions as potentially initiating wider naval hostilities. “Commercial shipping should not be used as leverage in geopolitical struggles,” warned UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, noting “this region cannot afford another prolonged crisis”.
Investigations continue into the Galaxy Leader incident and its future remains uncertain. This incident adds another layer of complexity to Red Sea security landscape and highlights how there can often be blurry boundaries between military action and civilian infrastructure in modern conflict zones.