DUBAI (Reuters) - Yemeni Houthi forces seized a “suspect vessel” in the Red Sea but will release it if it proves to belong to South Korea after legal procedures are completed, a senior Houthi official said on Monday.

The official spoke after the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen since 2015 accused the group of “hijacking” a vessel that had been towing a South Korean drilling rig.

The senior Houthi official, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi told Reuters: “Yemeni coast guards...are checking to see whether (the vessel) belongs to the countries of aggression or to South Korea, in which case it will be released after completing legal procedures. The crews are being well treated.”