Ship in Bab el-Mandeb Strait attacked by suspected pirates

A bulk carrier traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait was attacked twice by suspected pirates on Friday. Armed guards aboard returned fire, and the crew remained safe. The strait, linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, has seen piracy and Houthi attacks, though Houthi operations are paused under a Gaza ceasefire

Dubai: A ship travelling Friday through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait came under attack by suspected pirates, officials said.

The incident saw a ship chased by smaller vessels that opened fire on it, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said.

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The private security firm Diaplous Group said the vessel twice came under attack and armed guards aboard it opened fire in response. It said the crew was safe and described the ship as a bulk carrier.

The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, separating the African continent from the Arabian Peninsula.

The area had seen attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over the Israel-Hamas war, as well as a rise in piracy from Somalia as well. The Houthis have halted their attacks, however, as an uneasy ceasefire holds in the Gaza Strip.