Yemen's Houthi rebels said Wednesday they released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier seized in November 2023 at the start of their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war.

Yemen's Houthis announced the release of 25 crew of the Galaxy Leader, a commercial vessel seized in November 2023 in the Red Sea.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader more than a year after they seized the Bahamas-flagged vessel off the Yemeni Red Sea coast, Houthi-owned Al Masirah TV reported on Wednesday.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said on Wednesday they released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier seized in November 2023 at the start of their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Gaza war.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels and the Yemen branch of the Palestinian group Hamas on Wednesday linked the release of the crew of the Galaxy Leader vessel to the ceasefire agreement that took effect in Gaza on Sunday.

The Houthi rebels released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, captured in November 2023, as part of efforts to de-escalate attacks following a Gaza ceasefire. The move, influenced by Omani mediation, may aim to avoid designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under US pressure.

The 25 crew and the part Israeli-owned car carrier that was being operated by Japan’s NYK Line were taken hostage by a military strike force linked to Houthi rebel forces and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps on 19 November 2023 and taken to Hodeidah under military escort.

The Yemen-based Houthi forces released the Galaxy Leader's crew, who were detained for more than a year, to Oman amidst a ceasefire in Gaza. The crew members from several countries were taken in November 2023,

Despite the Gaza ceasefire deal, Yemen's Houthi group has warned of continued attacks. The Sana’a-based Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) revealed that the Houthis plan to limit their attacks to commercial vessels linked to Israel.