Houthi rebels in Yemen have released a video that they say shows the crew and cargo ship the group hijacked on Sunday in the Red Sea.

The British-owned Galaxy Leader with 25 crewmembers on board was seized while sailing near Yemen. The ship is operated by Nippon Yusen, a Japanese firm also known as NYK Line.

The Houthis say the ship is Israeli, a claim denied by Israel's military.

The Houthis posted the video on social media on Wednesday. The footage shows Houthi officers visiting the crew aboard the ship and calling them "guests."

Ahead of the visit to the crew, the rebels said they will continue their operation until Israel ends its attacks on the Gaza Strip, suggesting their intention to target more ships in the Red Sea that they see are linked to Israel.

The release of the video is seen as the group's effort to show that the crew is safe and to underscore the legitimacy of the seizure of the ship.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim al-Dailami, the ambassador to Iran appointed by the Houthis, spoke to NHK on Wednesday in the Iranian capital Tehran. Iran is believed to be backing the rebel group.

He said his group has no animosity toward the people of Japan and denied its intention to target them, and explained that Houthi operations are only targeting Israel and its interests.

But he declined to comment on the prospect of the release of the ship and crew, only saying it depends on how the situation develops.