ALBAWABA- The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a security alert on Monday after a merchant vessel reported suspicious activity approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Aden, Yemen, in the Gulf of Aden.
According to the advisory, the vessel was approached and hailed by a white skiff carrying five individuals, followed by the presence of two additional skiffs in the area.
An exchange involving warning shots was reported, though authorities clarified that no weapons were directly aimed at the merchant ship.
The incident was subsequently classified as “suspicious activity,” with no casualties or damage recorded. UKMTO urged vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and promptly report any unusual behavior.
The alert comes amid continued instability in key maritime corridors near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea.
Since November 2023, Houthis in Yemen have launched repeated drone and missile attacks on vessels owned or bound to Israel, significantly disrupting trade routes and forcing many vessels to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing transit times and freight costs.
The latest incident also coincides with India’s recent seizure of three U.S.-sanctioned tankers allegedly linked to Iran’s so-called shadow fleet.
The vessels were intercepted earlier this month off India’s western coast over suspected ship-to-ship transfers designed to conceal the origin of Iranian oil exports.
Such enforcement actions could impact revenue streams tied to Tehran’s regional network of allies, including the Houthis, potentially heightening tensions in already volatile sea lanes.
Maritime security experts warn that even limited confrontations or suspicious approaches in the Gulf of Aden can quickly escalate, further straining global shipping routes at a time of fragile regional diplomacy and ongoing nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
