Tanker Reportedly Seized Off Yemen Coast Amid Heightened Regional Tensions

The Gulf of Aden recently saw an incident involving the seizure of an oil tanker called the Central Park, according to reports from Reuters, the Guardian, USNI News and others. The vessel is affiliated with Zodiac Maritime, a firm owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. Reuters and the Guardian stated the ship had 22 crew members onboard from countries including Russia, Vietnam, Bulgaria, India, Georgia and the Philippines.

The tanker was transporting phosphoric acid and was sailing through the Gulf of Aden when it was reportedly approached and boarded by a group of unidentified armed individuals, the Guardian reported. This occurred around 53 nautical miles off the southwest coast of Yemen, according to the Guardian and USNI News. The U.S. defense department confirmed it is monitoring the situation, with naval forces in the vicinity, the New York Post said.

This event comes amid heightened tensions in the region following recent attacks on ships connected to Israel, according to MarketWatch. Last week, Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed seizure of another vessel, the Galaxy Leader. The Houthis, backed by Iran, fired missiles and drones at Israel earlier in the conflict and vowed further maritime attacks, said the Guardian. A container ship linked to Israel was also reportedly struck by an Iranian drone recently.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the Central Park seizure. The method and location raise uncertainty about direct links to the Israel-Hamas war. The Gulf of Aden area is distant from Houthi strongholds, and the boarding tactic differs from Iran’s suspected drone strategy, the Guardian pointed out. Maritime experts say the incident could potentially reflect persistent piracy threats in the region rather than Middle East power struggles, according to the Guardian.