The Houthi militia, internationally designated as a terrorist organization, forced 17 Vietnamese sailors from the "Galaxy Leader" ship to participate in a Prophet Muhammad's birthday celebration held on board the vessel. The ship, seized in November 2023, remains anchored near the port of Hodeidah, northwest Yemen.

Social media users shared images and videos from the event, claiming they depicted the Houthi-organized celebration on the "Galaxy Leader," owned by an Israeli businessman. The images showed the ship adorned with green lights and decorations, a customary symbol of the Prophet's birthday.

The images also captured the crew of the detained ship participating in the celebration, forced by the Houthis. The crew consists of a Bulgarian captain and 17 Vietnamese sailors, along with other crew members from Ukraine, Mexico, and Romania.

Yemenis on social media criticized the forced participation, arguing it contradicts Islamic teachings and the Prophet's own values, which the Houthis claim to celebrate.

"These are civilian foreigners working on the Galaxy ship, detained with the ship by the militia," wrote activist Ali Aerjash. "As the picture shows, they were forced to be 'green' for the purpose of celebrating the Prophet's birthday."

He added, "Therefore, we can deduce the amount of pressure and the degree of coercion of people to participate in this political festival (celebrating the Prophet Muhammad, the ancestor of the king and the nobility)."

Writer and poet Najib Al-Qarn commented on a photo of the sailors, "Look at the joy and smiles on the faces of the crew of the Galaxy ship detained in Hodeidah. (Guests of the Messenger of God) ... How can they not be happy with his birthday, especially the Japanese guy in the back, how the joy is green in his eyes."

He continued, "He must be thinking about how to bring this experience back to Japan. Thank God, (the movement is global) and we finally reached the Japanese... or maybe, I want to laugh and cry at the same time, honestly, at these childish actions."

Meanwhile, Houthi supporters celebrated the forced participation of the sailors, viewing it as a victory for themselves, their group, and Iran. They claimed it was a victory for Gaza and Palestine.

On November 19, 2023, the Houthis announced they had seized an "Israeli ship" in the Red Sea and brought it to the Yemeni coast. The ship's owner is an Israeli businessman. This action was a response to Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, which killed thousands of Palestinians.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Houthis in Yemen "kidnapped" a ship owned by a British company operated by a Japanese company.

Since last November, the Houthi militia has continued its attacks with missiles and drones against commercial cargo ships in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.

These attacks by the internationally designated terrorist group have increased maritime insurance costs and led many international shipping companies to prefer the much longer route around the southern tip of Africa.

To deter the Houthis and protect maritime navigation, the United States formed a multinational coalition in December 2023. US forces have been carrying out strikes against Houthi military targets.

Since January 12, the US and UK have conducted approximately 560 airstrikes against the Houthis, killing 58 and injuring 86, according to the Houthi group's own admission.

The internationally recognized Yemeni government argues that Western airstrikes are not effective in neutralizing the Houthi threat to navigation. They believe the most effective solution is to support their armed forces to recapture Hodeidah and its ports, as well as other areas under Houthi control.