RIYADH — The Iran-backed Houthi militia hijacked a vessel, Rabigh 3, on Sunday south of the Red Sea, according to the Arab Coalition.

Col. Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman of the Coalition for supporting legitimacy in Yemen, said the vessel was hijacked by armed Houthis traveling on two boats.

“At 10:58 p.m. on Sunday, the vessel was hihjacked while sailing through the southern Red Sea, and it came under armed robbery by two boats carrying terrorists belonging to the Houthi militia,” he said, adding the marine tugboat was owned by a South Korean company.

Al-Maliki said the Houthi terrorist operation poses a real threat to international shipping and trade.

“The Houthis have a criminal precedent undermining the security of the Bab El-Mandeb Strait and the southern Red Sea with their acts of kidnapping and piracy,” he said.

The Houthi militia is responsible, in accordance with the international law, for the safety of the multinational crew on board the vessel, Al-Maliki said.

He stressed that the command of the joint Coalition forces continues to implement strict and deterrent measures against this terrorist militia to maintain regional and international security. — SG/SPA