Rashid al-Haddad, the Yemeni influencer who has been dubbed the “hot Houthi pirate” following his posts on the Red Sea crisis, has lost his account on TikTok for violating the platform’s community guidelines.
Amid fears of an impending war in the region, al-Haddad has become a viral sensation after sharing footage of himself on board the Bahamian-flagged, Japan-chartered Galaxy Leader. Video footage of the influencer on the cargo ship, which was captured by Houthis in November, has led to him being dubbed “Timhouthi Chalamet,” a reference to actor Timothée Chalamet.
Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have been striking Western shipping vessels passing through the Red Sea in retaliation for their support of Israel during the war in Gaza. President Joe Biden ordered multiple airstrikes against the rebels, following what he described as an “extensive diplomatic campaign” to stop the attacks on international ships going through the region.
The U.S. military carried out the first round of strikes on January 11 with the U.K. and had support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands. On January 12, the U.S. launched an additional strike against the Houthis.
Tensions heightened on Monday when a missile struck a U.S.-owned ship just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. The strike came less than a day after Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired an anti-ship cruise missile at an American destroyer in the Red Sea.
After showing his support for the Palestinians, al-Haddad’s accounts across multiple social media platforms—including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat— amassed thousands of followers. While there is no evidence that he participated in seizing the cargo ship, the Houthi supporter has been called a “pirate” online.
A clip posted to Instagram on Monday showed al-Haddad on the Galaxy Leader. The Arabic caption read: “The ship is ours now, do not look for it anymore.”
The footage showing al-Haddad on the Galaxy Leader, in clear support of those who had seized the vessel, led to his TikTok account being deleted on Tuesday, a source close to the matter told Newsweek.
The source, who asked not to be identified, said that TikTok’s guidelines “do not allow anyone to promote or materially support violent or hateful actors.”
The platform’s guidelines say: “We want our creators to share what inspires them, but there is no place on our platform for those dedicated to spreading beliefs or propaganda that encourage violence or hate.”
The guidelines continue: “We do not allow the presence of violent and hateful organizations or individuals on our platform. These actors include violent extremists, violent criminal organizations, violent political organizations, hateful organizations, and individual perpetrators of mass violence. If we become aware that any such actor may be on our platform, we will conduct a thorough review—including off-platform behavior—which may result in an account ban.
“Often the ideas of these actors are amplified by others,” the guidelines go on. “We do not allow anyone to promote or materially support violent or hateful actors. Content that may appear neutral, such as referencing a quote from a hateful organization, must make clear that there is no intent to promote it.”
TikTok has limited allowances for people to “discuss violent political organizations, but only if: (1) their causes are recognized as legitimate under international legal frameworks, (2) they do not primarily target civilians, and (3) the content does not mention violence.”
Newsweek has contacted al-Haddad via X (formerly Twitter) for comment.
Since his TikTok account was deleted, he has launched a new one, which so far has a relatively modest following of 78. He has more than 30,000 followers on Instagram and 13,000 on X.
On Tuesday, al-Haddad expressed reluctance about being seen as a heartthrob when he shared screenshots of Newsweek‘s coverage of his social media popularity on X.
“I did not talk about beauty or anything else, but our issue is Palestine, and this is not the time to talk about beauty,” he wrote in Arabic, in response to the headline “‘Hot’ Houthi Pirate Becomes Online Sensation: ‘God You’re Beautiful.'”
“I hope that my message will reach you, a free Palestine, and we will [fight] against the Israeli aggression that violates human rights,” he wrote.
On Monday, the U.S. Maritime Administration, which is under the Transportation Department, said there continues to be “a high degree of 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” stay away from Yemen in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until further notice, the alert said.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Gregory Daniels is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, he explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture. Gregory enjoys staying ahead of the curve and sharing emerging trends with his readers.
