Gulf of Aden

Crew members surviving a deadly attack reported that three ballistic missiles fired by Houthi rebels struck their Yemeni commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, killing six people and injuring at least nine others. The attacks, which occurred while the ship was entering port, are part of an escalating campaign by the Houthis and risk reigniting Yemen’s civil war.

Yemen's Houthis claimed to target a Saudi oil vessel in the Gulf of Aden, according to their military spokesperson. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the strike, though the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a 'loud explosion' near a vessel in the same area.

Six Saudi supertankers have altered their course in the Gulf of Aden, avoiding the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint due to threats from the Houthis. The tankers, returning empty from Asian ports, are now heading toward southern Africa instead of the usual route.

Saudi Arabia announced plans for a multinational maritime defense coalition to protect Red Sea shipping and energy routes from Houthi attacks. The coalition, which includes 43 countries and the European Union, aims to secure international trade and maritime interests in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden. Fourteen countries, including Turkey and Pakistan, supported the proposal, though Oman and the UAE did not.

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped by 60% to six vessels, with most using the Iranian Unilateral Scheme. Activity in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait increased to 49 crossings, including sanctioned and shadow fleet vessels. Some ships reversed course in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea before resuming journeys, while others remained on hold.

Germany is redeploying two navy ships from the Gulf of Aden to the eastern Mediterranean due to ongoing conflict between Iran and the U.S., which has made a permissive environment for a Strait of Hormuz security mission unlikely. The ships' technical limitations in the Gulf's high temperatures also influenced the decision.

Yemen's pro-Iranian Houthi rebels claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and threatened to blockade the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a critical shipping route. The strait, known as the 'Gate of Tears,' connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean.

A Tanzanian-flagged tanker, MT ASANA, was hijacked by seven suspected Somali pirates off Yemen’s coast and moved to waters near Somalia’s Bari region. The vessel, en route from Mukalla, Yemen, transmitted a distress signal and traveled at an unusually slow speed before being held off Caluula in Puntland’s Bari region. Details about crew numbers or injuries remain unclear.

A vessel seized yesterday in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen's coast has been moved into Somalian territorial waters, and the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) now classifies the incident as a hijacking.

A chemical tanker was boarded by an armed group off Yemen's coast, with the British military reporting the incident and suspecting Somali pirates. The vessel, en route to Somalia, issued a distress call, prompting a Korean naval vessel to assist. Recent attacks in the region include a suspected pirate incident near Yemen and an EU-Djibouti deal to strengthen Red Sea security against Houthi threats.

A chemical tanker named Asana was seized off Yemen's southern coast in the Gulf of Aden by armed assailants believed to be Somali pirates. The vessel, with no confirmed flag, was en route to the Somali port of Bosaso, and the incident is not linked to Yemen's Houthi militia.

Somali pirates are resurging with recent hijackings of three merchant vessels off the Horn of Africa. The multinational naval coalition that previously combated piracy has diminished, leaving the threat unaddressed. Piracy had been dormant since 2016 but is now re-emerging.

A cargo ship was attacked in the Red Sea off Yemen's coast near Hodeida, controlled by Houthi rebels, by unknown armed assailants. The ship's security guards returned fire after a skiff approached and opened fire, with the attackers fleeing to a larger vessel. The crew and ship were reported safe, and no group has claimed responsibility.

A cargo ship reported being under attack by unknown armed assailants in the Red Sea off Yemen's coast, according to the British military. The UK Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed the incident, with no group yet claiming responsibility. Houthi rebels in Yemen have threatened to resume attacks, while Somali pirates have been active in the Gulf of Aden.

A cargo ship reported being under attack by unknown armed assailants in the Red Sea off Yemen, according to the British military. The UK Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed the attack, while Yemen’s Houthi rebels have threatened to resume attacks but have not yet acted. Somali pirates remain active in the Gulf of Aden.

Somaliland’s de facto leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi made a historic first state visit to Israel, following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland’s independence. The visit highlights Somaliland’s efforts to gain international recognition despite its breakaway status from Somalia.

Berbera Port in Somaliland is becoming a key trade and logistics hub in East Africa due to its strategic location near the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint.

Yemen's Houthi rebel group has attacked commercial ships in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, disrupting global shipping routes between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The attacks, cited as protest against Israel's war in Gaza, have led to shipping diversions around Africa, causing supply chain delays and higher costs.

Three ships were hijacked near the Gulf of Aden, raising alarms over key sea routes and prompting concerns about the return of piracy to Somalia. The incident has sparked fears about the safety of maritime trade. Piracy had previously been a major concern in the region.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested Somali illegal immigrant Said Jama Ahmed, linked to a 2012 piracy case, near the U.S.-Canada border. DHS criticized Biden's border policies for allowing his entry despite prior law enforcement encounters. Ahmed was fingerprinted during a 2012 Navy operation targeting pirates in the Gulf of Aden.