Illustrative Image
According to Iranian media, Iran’s Navy thwarted a pirate attack on an oil tanker sailing for the Gulf of Aden, south of Yemen and past the Red Sea on November 1.
According to the reports, the tanker was heading to the Bab-el Mandeb Strait, when four boats, each carrying six armed pirates on board, attempted to hijack it. The attackers were scared by the warning shots of an Iranian Navy squad aboard the vessel.
Iranian forces are repelling pirate attacks on their ships on a regular basis. The last such incident took place about two weeks ago, when five pirate ships attacked two oil tankers, but were also scared away by Iranian security forces.
Iran has also claimed that its navy has recently increased its presence in the area of the Bab-el Mandeb Strait in order to protect shipping. This maritime route is one of the most vital waterways in the world, as it is of a strategic importance for Iran, especially, as it has been sending oil tankers through the Red Sea towards Lebanon.
Oil tankers with Iranian fuel destined for Lebanon use the Syrian port of Baniyas in order to further transfer it to Beirut, as the country is under an unprecedented political and economic crisis and is facing massive gasoline shortages. The third tanker containing a shipment of Iranian oil destined for Lebanon docked in Syria’s Baniyas port on October 6th.
yes sir.