Capitals, May. 16 (SANA) — Escalating tensions in the Middle East are reshaping global shipping routes and reviving a persistent maritime threat: Somali piracy.
As security concerns in the Strait of Hormuz prompt major shipping companies to reroute vessels around the African continent, pirate networks operating off the Somali coast are seizing new opportunities to regroup after years of relative decline, according to maritime security analysts.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which roughly 20% of global oil, gas, and raw material exports pass, has seen significant disruptions amid the U.S.-Israeli-Iranian conflict. Commercial vessels opting for the longer Cape of Good Hope route now sail closer to Somalia’s unstable coastline, exposing them to heightened risk.