The scourge of Somali piracy targeting cargo ships and smaller dhows off the Horn of Africa has returned to levels not seen in a decade, driven by a convergence of factors including disruptions to the shipping industry caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran and a resurgence of political instability in Somalia.
Since late April there have been eight hijackings by Somali pirates, including two within the space of a fortnight in August: one targeting an oil tanker with ties to Iran, the other a Cameroon-flagged vessel, the Lutuf, carrying military equipment for Turkey.
A massive blast tears through an Iranian tanker before the vessel sinks into the Gulf of Oman as the U.S. military releases new footage of its latest strikes.
CENTCOM says its forces destroyed the M/T Riesco in response to attempted IRGC attacks on a U.S. Navy warship.
The… pic.twitter.com/wpm2YOByX9
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 9, 2026
