Yemeni influencer Rashid Al Haddad, also known as the “hot Houthi pirate,” has been banned from TikTok due to community guidelines violations. This comes amidst escalating tensions in the Red Sea region.
What Happened: Al Haddad's video showing him on the Bahamian-flagged, Japan-chartered "Galaxy Leader," earned him a significant following on TikTok, reported Newsweek.
"Galaxy Leader" is a ship seized by Houthis in November 2023.
Al Haddad's endorsement of the Palestinians and the Houthis, who have been targeting Western shipping vessels in retaliation for their support of Israel, has garnered him a substantial following across various social media platforms.
While his X (formerly Twitter) account currently has almost 14,000 followers, his follower count on Meta Platforms' Instagram is substantially higher at 34,700.
A video featuring Al Haddad on the Galaxy Leader, openly supporting the individuals who had taken over the ship, resulted in the removal of his TikTok account on Tuesday.
Despite the ban, Al Haddad has created a new TikTok account, which currently has a modest following of a little over 1,300.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Maritime Administration has issued a warning about the high risk to commercial vessels traveling near Yemen.
"While the decision to transit remains at the discretion of individual vessels and companies, it is recommended that U.S. flag and U.S. owned commercial vessels remain North of 18N in the Red Sea or East of 46E in the Gulf of Aden until further notice," the advisory said.
Why It Matters: The ban on Al Haddad’s TikTok account comes in the wake of escalating tensions in the Red Sea region. The U.S. recently reclassified Houthi rebels as terrorists following their second attack on an American-operated ship in the Red Sea. This move is expected to significantly impact global trade.
Shell Plc. suspended its shipments through the Red Sea due to increasing security concerns, amid the U.S. defense forces neutralizing four Houthi missiles in Yemen.
The Red Sea crisis has also led to escalating shipping costs, which could potentially impede the Federal Reserve’s fight against inflation.
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Photo courtesy: Wikimedia
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