Why is piracy rising off Somalia again — and is the Iran war responsible?

At least three vessels have been targeted in hijackings this week off the coast of Somalia in what analysts fear is a replay of past piracy around the Horn of Africa. The area was the world’s most notorious hotspot for piracy in the early to mid-2000s, with an international naval coalition eventually subduing the threat it posed to global shipping. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list According to the World Bank, the annual impact of piracy off Somalia on the global economy was as high as $18bn during the height of the crisis. Intermittent hijackings have continued since then, with a number of incidents occurring in the area this year. However, the quick succession of tankers seized in recent weeks has further raised concerns. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which provides security information about trade routes to shipping firms, raised the threat levels around the Somalia coast to “substantial” this week and warned vessels to “transit with caution”. Here’s what we know about the recent hijackings: Guards from Somalia’s Puntland maritime force patrol in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of the semi-autonomous Puntland state, November 26, 2023 [Jackson Njehia/AP] What has happened? Three to four merchant ships are believed to have been captured close to the coast of Somalia since April 20. …