A Yemeni fighter with terrorists on a hijacked ship has gone viral for being the “hot Houthi pirate” – but is complaining about the focus on his striking good looks rather than his anti-Israel militancy.
While the Houthis capture ships in the Red Sea, 19-year-old Rashid Al Haddad has been capturing hearts on social media, where some have compared him to actor Timothée Chalamet.
One of his admirers labeled him “Timhouthi Chalamet.”
“I know this is serious business but Yemeni Abercrombie model there,” another smitten user wrote on X, where she posted a clip of “The Office” character Pam Beesly holding a sign reading “Hot.”
“God you’re beautiful,” one person wrote, while others asked him to “hit” them up if he ever came to America.
But Al Haddad — who posted videos of himself aboard the container ship Galaxy Leader, which the Houthis stormed Nov. 19 – urged his thousands of followers to focus their attention on Gaza.
“I didn’t talk about beauty or anything else, but our cause is Palestine, and this is not the time to talk about beauty,” he wrote on X, sharing a Newsweek article repeating his “Hot Houthi Pirate” nickname.
“I hope that my message reaches you, a free Palestine, and we ignite it against the Israeli aggression that violates human rights,” the influencer added.
Al Haddad — who uses the accounts @rro1o on TikTok and @r42r43 on Instagram — has suggested he is part of the Yemeni Armed Forces and posted images of himself with an AK-47.
He has described himself as “ready for sacrifice and eager for martyrdom.”
But despite all the bellicose bluster, Al Haddad does not appear to be an actual Houthi pirate, according to the Telegraph, which noted that he has not posted any video of actual hijackings by the Iran-backed rebels.
On Threads – Meta’s rival to X – he describes himself as a “media personality, actor and photographer,” according to the outlet.
In an interview with YouTuber Hasan Piker, Al Haddad said through a translator that “he is a Yemeni who stands with Palestine.”
He said the “only motivation that [the Houthis] have is their solidarity with Palestine and to stop the attack on Palestine.”
Asked what attracted him to boarding the Galaxy Leader, the translator replied: “He said he likes adventures and he’s a big supporter of Palestine and he’s looking forward to bigger and more exciting things.”
His social media followers have continued to gush.
“He can hijack me,” one user wrote on X, while another asked: “Does his boat have room for one more….?”
On TikTok, one posted: “Hey if [you’re] ever in America hmu [hit me up].”
Last week, the US and Britain launched strikes on more than a dozen Houthi-linked targets in Yemen — just days after the militants carried out their “largest attack” to date on ships in the Red Sea.
Tensions in the Red Sea have ramped up since the Houthis began attacking and hijacking cargo ships passing through the vital shipping corridor, following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
The Houthis have claimed their attacks are a show of support for Hamas and have targeted 27 ships to date.