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Gunmen have boarded a tanker carrying chemical products in the Gulf of Aden, off the southern coast of Yemen, and maritime security sources told Reuters that the ship is suspected of being hijacked.
According to sources, the attackers have taken control of the tanker Asana, which had signaled its destination was Bosaso, Somalia. The incident comes after the UK Merchant Marine Operations Centre (UKMTO) reported an "illegal boarding" off the coast of Yemen.
It is not yet clear who is behind the incident. However, the development comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region, after Reuters reported a day earlier, citing three sources, that Iran has asked its Houthi allies in Yemen to be prepared to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if the United States launches attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure.
UKMTO WARNING 090-26 - ILLEGAL BOARDING
— UKMTO Operations Center (@UK_MTO) July 17, 2026
Click here to view the full warning.⤵️ https://t.co/DrymtioboP #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/Ab5vdnmqI4
A source close to the Houthi rebels told Reuters that the group has completed preparations to attack the ships, deploying missiles and drones near the Bab al-Mandeb waterway.
Why is the Bab al-Mandeb Strait so important?
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Arabian Sea and serves as the gateway to the Suez Canal, one of the most important arteries of world trade.
Also known as the "Gate of Tears" due to difficult navigation conditions, it borders Yemen, where the Houthi rebels, allies of Iran, operate.
Bab al-Mandeb is considered one of the most strategic maritime transport points in the world, as large cargoes of goods and crude oil pass through it from Gulf countries to the Mediterranean and European markets.
The strait is about 20 miles wide. About 25% of global container trade passes through it on its way to or from the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal typically carries about 12% of world trade.
Experts warn that a disruption to shipping in Bab al-Mandeb would further aggravate the situation in global energy markets and supply chains, at a time when traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has already been severely affected by tensions between Iran and the US.
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