17 January 2024 , 20:29
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A Yemeni Houthi follower has gone viral on social media for being "hot" - but is urging fans to not be distracted and to keep fighting for a free Palestine.
Rashid Al Haddad shared footage of himself aboard hijacked container ships and online commenters were soon to comment on his good looks, nicknaming him “Timhouthi Chalamet” because he resembles the actor Timothée Chalamet. While there is no evidence that Rashid participated in seizing the sea vessel, the Houthi supporter has also been referred to as the "hot pirate" of the region.
The boat he has videoed himself on is the Bahamian-flagged, Japan-chartered Galaxy Leader container ship, which was first boarded by the Houthis on November 19. The ship’s 25 crew members remain in captivity, while the Iranian-backed rebels have opened up the vessel for tour groups. The Houthis have launched a series of attacks on vessels since November in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea over what they say is an attempt to back Hamas and Palestinians trapped in the Gaza Strip amid Israel’s war on Hamas.
Haddad took to X, formerly Twitter, to say: "I didn’t talk about beauty or anything else, but our cause is Palestine, and this is not the time to talk about beauty. I hope that my message reaches you, a free Palestine, and we ignite it against the Israeli aggression that violates human rights.” Up until yesterday, Haddad had posted regularly on TikTok videos under the handle @rr010. The account has since been deleted, but it is not clear if this was by himself or if he had been banned by the social media platform.
"Why is Timothy Chalamet working with the Houthis?", one person joked on X. Haddad has described himself as "ready for sacrifice and eager for martyrdom" and said the Houthis "will bomb all Israeli ships." Meanwhile, a ship came under attack in the Gulf of Aden today, likely from a bomb-carrying drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the British military said.
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He has gone viral on social media for being "hot" (TikTok)
The boat he has videoed himself on is the Bahamian-flagged, Japan-chartered Galaxy Leader container ship (TikTok)The attack happened some 70 miles southeast of Aden, where the drone smashed into the vessel, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, an arm of the British navy that oversees Mideast waterways. The ship's captain "reported there was a fire onboard which has now been extinguished", it said. "Authorities are investigating." The British military did not immediately identify the vessel, nor whom they suspected in the attack. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
The U.S. and its allies have carried out three rounds of airstrikes targeting Houthi sites over the last week, to try to deter the militants. However, the Houthis have launched several attacks in the time since, further imperilling ships travelling on a crucial trade route for cargo and energy shipments moving from Asia and the Middle East toward Europe.