The United Nations has called for safety and security in the Red Sea region, the Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari told Security Council members.
“We reaffirm the importance of ensuring safety and security of maritime navigation in the region. In that regard, we also call for the immediate release of the 'Galaxy Leader' and her crew, which was seized by the Houthis on 19 November,” Khiari said during a meeting on the Red Sea on Wednesday.
Such incidents in the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen have to stop, he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the Houthis attacked several merchant ships in the southern Red Sea with ballistic missiles, but no damage has been reported.
Later that week, the Houthis attacked the commercial vessel Hangzhou and US helicopters sank the attacking vessels, CENTCOM said.
The Houthis have vowed to continue attacking commercial ships bound for Israel until that country ends its military actions against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.