GULF OF ADEN — Somali pirates have increased attacks on commercial ships as international naval resources have been redirected toward the Middle East. Six commercial vessels were seized in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean between April and August 22, 2026.

The MT Sibu 1, an Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker with 20 crew members including 16 Indians, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on August 21, 2026. The MV Luruf, a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship carrying Turkish weapons, was hijacked off Somalia’s Puntland coast on August 17, 2026. Somali pirates demanded a ransom of approximately $2 million to release the MV Luruf and its crew.

Why It Matters

The rise in piracy incidents reverses a long-term decline in maritime crime off the Horn of Africa. In 2025, only five piracy incidents were recorded in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean by the International Maritime Bureau, marking a significant decline from the peak years of 2008–2014. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported that 13 piracy incidents occurred in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean between January and July 2026, compared to just five in all of 2025.

The reduction in naval patrols correlates with shifting military priorities. The U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, reduced its presence in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean by 30% in 2026 due to increased focus on the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea operations related to the Iran War. In 2023, the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) conducted 120 maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean, but this number dropped to 45 in 2026 as forces were redeployed to the Red Sea.

Timeline

The Iran War began in February 2026 with U.S. airstrikes on Iran. A chemical-carrying ship was hijacked off Yemen in July 2026.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that 13 commercial vessels were attacked or seized in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean between January and August 22, 2026, marking a sharp increase compared to previous years. Fewer than 20 commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend ending August 24, 2026. There were 41 recent incidents in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz as of August 25, 2026, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

What's New

The Iran War, which began in February 2026 with U.S. airstrikes on Iran, has led to a reallocation of naval resources from anti-piracy operations to the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, contributing to the rise in Somali piracy. Between 2008 and 2014, Somali pirates carried out over 300 attacks per year in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

During the height of Somali piracy in 2010, an estimated 100 ships were hijacked annually, with ransoms averaging $5 million per vessel, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the total number of attacks carried out by Somali pirates during the peak piracy era. One source states that Somali pirates carried out more than 1,000 attacks between roughly 2005 and 2012. Another source, citing the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), reports that between 2008 and 2014, Somali pirates carried out over 300 attacks per year in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean.

Reports also vary in their focus on recent developments in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean. One account shows that six commercial vessels were seized in the region between April and August 22, 2026. Other accounts detail the reduction of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet presence in the area by 30% in 2026, the historical context of over 300 annual attacks between 2008 and 2014, the report of 13 piracy incidents between January and July 2026 compared to five in 2025, and the drop in European Union Naval Force operations from 120 in 2023 to 45 in 2026.