DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen's Houthi rebels have 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.
The move by the Iranian-backed Houthis marks their latest effort to de-escalate their attacks following a ceasefire in Gaza. However, it came as U.S. President Donald Trump moved to reinstate a terrorism designation he made on the group late in his first term that had been revoked by President Joe Biden, potentially setting the stage for new tensions with the rebels.
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Houthi supporters burn American and Israeli flags during a protest in Sanaa, Yemen, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
A Houthi supporter carries a mock rocket as he peers from a Palestinian flag during a protest in Sanaa, Yemen, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
In this photo released by the Department of Migrant Workers, Secretary of Migrant Workers Hans Leo Cacdac, center, talks to freed Filipino crew-members, who were among those taken hostage aboard the Galaxy Leader in Yemen, as they arrive at Manila's International Airport on Thursday Jan. 23, 2025. (Department of Migrant Workers via AP)
In this photo released by Department of Migrant Workers, freed Filipino crew-members, who were among those taken hostage aboard the Galaxy Leader in Yemen, are welcomed by family as they arrive at Manila's International Airport on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Department of Migrant Workers via AP)
This image released by the state-run Oman News Agency show the crew of the Galaxy Leader arriving in Muscat, Oman, after being released by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Oman News Agency via AP)
A Houthi supporter shouts slogans during during an anti-U.S and Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
Thousands of Houthi supporters raise banners during an anti-U.S and Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
Houthi supporters step on an American flag during an anti-U.S and Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
FILE - This photo released by the Houthi Media Center shows Houthi escort the cargo ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, Nov. 19, 2023. (Houthi Media Center via AP, File)
The Houthis said they released the sailors after mediation by Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula that's long been an interlocutor with the Houthis. A Royal Air Force of Oman jet took a flight to Yemen earlier Wednesday and took off again about an hour after the Houthi announcement with the crew, who smiled as they stepped off into freedom in Muscat.
The Houthis also said Hamas separately requested the release of the ship's crew of 25, who included mariners from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico.
“This step comes in support of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza,” the Houthis said in a statement on rebel-controlled SABA news agency.
In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the release of 17 Filipino crew members, describing the moment as an “utmost joy.” The Filipinos returned to their home country Thursday to welcomes from their families and government officials.
Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the release of two Bulgarians identified by officials as the ship’s captain, Lyubomir Chanev, and assistant captain, Danail Veselinov. A government jet was on the way to Oman to bring the Bulgarians home, the ministry said.
Hans Grundberg, the United Nations’ special envoy to Yemen, called the crew’s release “heartwarming news that puts an end to the arbitrary detention and separation that they and their families endured for more than a year.”
“This is a step in the right direction, and I urge Ansar Allah to continue these positive steps on all fronts, including ending all maritime attacks,” he added, using another name for the Houthis.
The Houthis said they hijacked the Galaxy Leader over its connection to Israel. The attack launched the rebels' campaign targeting ships in international waters in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects them.
A representative for the Galaxy Leader's owners had no comment on Wednesday.
The Bahamas-flagged vessel is affiliated with an Israeli billionaire, Abraham “Rami” Ungar, who is known as one of the richest men in Israel.
The Houthi attack on the Galaxy Leader saw the rebels launch a helicopter-borne raid. Propaganda footage of the raid has been played constantly by the Houthis, who even shot a music video aboard the ship at one point.
On Monday, the Houthis signaled they now will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships after a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip, but warned wider assaults could resume if needed.
However, it likely won’t be enough to encourage global firms to reenter the route that’s crucial for cargo and energy shipments moving between Asia and Europe. Their attacks have halved traffic through the region, cutting deeply into revenues for Egypt, which runs the Suez Canal linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.
The release of the vessel's crew now may have been an effort to curry favor with the U.S., though the ship still remains moored off the Yemeni port city of Hodeida.
“This gesture by the Houthis may be intended as a goodwill measure towards the new Trump administration,” said Yemen expert Mohammed al-Basha, of the Basha Report risk advisory firm.
However, Trump signed an order urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reinstate a foreign terrorist organization designation on the Houthis. Rubio separately called Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, who have led a coalition battling the Houthis since 2015.
“Under President Trump, it is now the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate the Houthis’ capabilities and operations, deprive them of resources, and thereby end their attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea,” the White House said.
Biden lifted the designation early in his term, citing the humanitarian threat that the sanctions posed to ordinary Yemenis and to back an de facto ceasefire that still broadly holds in Yemen's war.
The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023, after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. Israel’s military offensive has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants but say women and children make up more than half the fatalities.
The Houthis have sunk two vessels in their campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by separate U.S.- and European-led coalitions in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have also included Western military vessels.
The rebels had maintained that they only targeted ships linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. However, many of the ships attacked had little or no connection, including some bound for Iran.
The tempo of Houthi attacks has slowed in recent weeks, particularly involving ships at sea. That may be due in part to the U.S. airstrike campaign. The U.S. and its partners alone have struck the Houthis over 260 times, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.
Houthi supporters burn American and Israeli flags during a protest in Sanaa, Yemen, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
A Houthi supporter carries a mock rocket as he peers from a Palestinian flag during a protest in Sanaa, Yemen, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
In this photo released by the Department of Migrant Workers, Secretary of Migrant Workers Hans Leo Cacdac, center, talks to freed Filipino crew-members, who were among those taken hostage aboard the Galaxy Leader in Yemen, as they arrive at Manila's International Airport on Thursday Jan. 23, 2025. (Department of Migrant Workers via AP)
In this photo released by Department of Migrant Workers, freed Filipino crew-members, who were among those taken hostage aboard the Galaxy Leader in Yemen, are welcomed by family as they arrive at Manila's International Airport on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Department of Migrant Workers via AP)
This image released by the state-run Oman News Agency show the crew of the Galaxy Leader arriving in Muscat, Oman, after being released by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (Oman News Agency via AP)
A Houthi supporter shouts slogans during during an anti-U.S and Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
Thousands of Houthi supporters raise banners during an anti-U.S and Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
Houthi supporters step on an American flag during an anti-U.S and Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
FILE - This photo released by the Houthi Media Center shows Houthi escort the cargo ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, Nov. 19, 2023. (Houthi Media Center via AP, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic was the last starter introduced by the Los Angeles Lakers, an honor normally reserved for LeBron James. When Doncic jogged into the spotlight on a darkened court through a cordon of his new teammates, his new fans stood and roared while wearing thousands of gold T-shirts with his name and number.
Even a young superstar could feel the magnificence of the moment.
“I was a little nervous before,” Doncic said. “I (don’t remember) the last time I was nervous before the game. But once I stepped on the court again, it was fun. Just being out there, it felt amazing.”
Doncic's debut with the Lakers was brief and successful Monday night, but it piqued the anticipation of everybody involved for his days and years ahead in Los Angeles.
Doncic scored 14 points while playing just 23 minutes, immediately getting into the flow with James and his teammates during Los Angeles' 132-113 victory over the Utah Jazz. Doncic added five rebounds and four assists — none prettier than a three-quarter-court strike to James for a layup late in the first half.
Doncic was grateful to be playing basketball after nearly seven weeks of injury absence, and he was happy to begin to move past the upheaval in his life ever since the Dallas Mavericks shocked the sports world 10 days ago by trading their 25-year-old centerpiece and NBA scoring champion.
Doncic got multiple standing ovations from a Los Angeles crowd wearing thousands of No. 77 shirts, but his pregame introduction was something he’ll remember for a long time.
“Just the amount of cheering there was in the arena was absolutely unbelievable,” Doncic said. “That was my favorite part — and to play again.”
Doncic said James texted him in the morning and offered to do anything to help — and Doncic took him up on it by taking the final intro spot. They'll swap for the Lakers' next home game next week, Doncic said with a grin.
“Shows what kind of person he is,” Doncic said. “He let me have my moment.”
The Slovenian scorer’s first bucket was a 3-pointer in the opening minutes on his second shot. Doncic scored 11 points while Los Angeles streaked out to a 25-point halftime lead, and he sat down for good with 3:07 left in the third quarter with the Lakers far ahead in their sixth consecutive victory.
The game was Doncic's first since he strained his left calf on Christmas. After a full week to settle in Los Angeles and to return to full strength, Doncic joined James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes as starters for the streaking Lakers, who had won 11 of 13 even before adding a five-time All-NBA selection to their lineup.
The Lakers have Doncic on a minutes restriction after his injury absence. His legs aren't quite there yet — he went 1 for 7 on 3-point attempts in his debut — but his playmaking immediately meshed with his new teammates.
Doncic’s first touch was an alley-oop assist to Hayes, and he hit his 3-pointer moments later. He was serenaded with “Luka! Luka!” chants at the first dead ball, and several times thereafter.
“I just think it could be a thing of beauty, the way we can manipulate the game on the offensive end and get what we want every single possession,” said Reaves, who scored 22 points. “Luka is one of the best passers in the world ... but yeah, I think it’s just the high-level IQ going along with pieces that really fit. (Doncic and James) can shoot the ball, pass the ball, and really play the right way.”
That crowd included Dirk Nowitzki, who overlapped with Doncic for one season in Dallas and served as his mentor. Doncic appeared to be the natural heir to the German Hall of Famer’s incredible run in Dallas — until current Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison decided otherwise.
Coach JJ Redick, who played alongside Doncic for 13 games in 2021 with the Mavericks, was pleased by Doncic's poise and patience in a landmark game.
“Knowing Luka, whether he will admit this or not, there was probably a little bit of nerves playing for the Lakers for the first time, and the anticipation that this building had,” Redick said. “I thought he handled it really well, and he played really well tonight. ... He didn’t make it about Luka. He made it about playing good basketball and playing Laker basketball.”
James returned from a one-game injury absence Monday when the Lakers began a home-and-home set with the Jazz heading into the All-Star break.
“I don’t see any world where those two playing together isn’t a good thing," Utah coach Will Hardy said. "Their processing speed mentally is incredible, and so I’m sure they’ll figure it out.”
Doncic had watched three straight Lakers victories from their bench since arriving in Los Angeles a week ago. Reaves scored a career-high 45 points to lead the Lakers past Indiana 124-117 on Saturday without Doncic or James, who sat out to rest his sore ankle.
Doncic began Monday by donating $500,000 to fire recovery efforts in his new community, making an immediate impression with his pledge to help with the damage caused by the rampant wildfires that devastated parts of Southern California last month — including Pacific Palisades, where Redick's home was lost.
“It's been so sad to see and learn more about the damage from the wildfires as I landed in LA,” Doncic wrote on his Luka Doncic Foundation's social media channels. "I can't believe it, and I feel for all the kids who lost their homes, schools and the places where they used to play with their friends.”
Doncic signed his note: “Your new neighbor.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots as Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) and guard Johnny Juzang defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots as Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, passes as teammate guard Luka Doncic looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic gestures as he comes back in during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, center, walks onto the court before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
A fan wears shirt with number of Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic as he watches him warm up before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James warms up while wearing the number of guard Luka Doncic while additional T-shirts with Doncic's number are on seats prior to an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
T-shirts with Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic's number are seen played out on fan seats prior to an NBA basketball game between the Lakers and the Utah Jazz Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic warms up in front of rows of shirts with his jersey number before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic arrives before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic, left, greets guard Austin Reaves prior to an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, and Luka Doncic talk during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is introduced before an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)