Somali piracy surges as the impact of the US-Iran war ripples outwards

Pirates manage to board ships operating a long way from the coast and then guide them closer to the shore A surge in piracy near Somalia has increased threats to shipping already under pressure from maritime blockades and conflict due to the US war with Iran. Two cargo vessels were seized in the Gulf of Aden within four days last week, rising to at least 13 the number of ships attacked since the start of the year and triggering unprecedented drone strikes against the pirates. It is the biggest escalation in hijackings in more than a decade, renewing concern about security in this region vital to international trade. "Piracy is always a crime of opportunity," says Omar Mahmood, a senior Somalia analyst for the International Crisis Group (ICG), "and right now the pirates see an opportunity." That opportunity comes from the impact of the war on regional waterways further north. Iran and the US continue to battle over control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The capture of the Lutuf has triggered unexpected consequences.

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