FACT CHECK: Video Claiming To Show Houthi Rebels Hijacking Israel Cargo Ship Is Miscaptioned

Joseph Casieri | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on social media purportedly shows a recent video of Houthi rebels hijacking a cargo ship in the Red Sea.

@b911_i #yemen #yemen #yemeni #palestine🇵🇸 #foryourpage #CapCut #freepalestine🇵🇸❤️ #muslim #palestine🇵🇸 #freepalestine🇵🇸❤️ #palestine🇵🇸 #save #palestine ♬ original sound – 👾

Verdict: False

The caption is inaccurate. The video predates the current conflict in the Middle East.

Fact Check:

President Joe Biden has told Israel to do more to avoid the death of Palestinian civilians, The Associated Press reported. The U.S. told the Israeli government if they resume their offensive into southern Gaza to eradicate Hamas, they must avoid civilian displacement.

The TikTok post purports forces from Yemen took control of an Israeli ship. The video shows a several smaller boats surrounding a cargo ship before men in militant uniforms board the vessel.

The text overlay reads, “Yemeni Armed Forces Seize Israeli Ship in Red Sea.” The description features hashtags for free Palestine and Palestinian flags.

The claim is inaccurate. There is no credible news report that suggests this video shows the recent hijacking by the Houthis. The video dates back to 2022. The small boats in the video show that they are flying Polish flags and some on board are speaking in Polish.

The Houthis did recently hijack an Israeli cargo ship in the Red Sea and take 25 hostages, according to AP News. However, this video is not related to the recent Hamas-Israeli conflict. The Iran-backed group claimed that it hijacked the ship because of its connection with Israel. They further stated that they will continue to attack Israeli ships in international waters. (RELATED: Video Of Pakistani Air Force Is Old)

This is not the first piece of misinformation that has been shared online. Check Your Fact debunked a claim 100 Turkish Navy warships have moved toward Gaza.

Note: Check Your Fact is working to debunk false and misleading claims from the recent event. Please send tips to [email protected].

Joseph Casieri

Fact Check Reporter

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