Why is piracy rising off Somalia again — and is the Iran war responsible?
Piracy is resurging off the coast of Somalia, with at least three merchant vessels hijacked in late April 2026, raising concerns of a return to the region's earlier piracy crisis. International naval forces have responded, but the rapid succession of attacks has heightened alarm for global shipping. Analysts suggest that the redirection of anti-piracy resources to the Red Sea may be contributing to the security vacuum off Somalia.
- ▪At least three merchant ships were hijacked off Somalia's coast between April 20 and April 26, 2026.
- ▪The European Union Naval Force and Puntland Maritime Police Force have responded to the hijackings, with one vessel released and others still held.
- ▪The UK Maritime Trade Operations raised threat levels to 'substantial' and advised vessels to transit with caution.
- ▪Some analysts believe anti-piracy efforts have been weakened due to the diversion of naval resources to the Red Sea since 2023.
- ▪The World Bank estimated that at the peak of piracy, the annual global economic impact was as high as $18 billion.
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EXPLAINERNews|CrimeWhy is piracy rising off Somalia again — and is the Iran war responsible?At least four vessels have been hijacked in the past week or two, raising fears of a piracy resurgence.ListenListen (6 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoFishermen stand on the Indian Ocean beach at dusk in the former pirate village of Eyl, in Somalia's semi-autonomous northeastern state of Puntland, on Monday, March 6, 2017 [File: Ben Curtis/AP]By Shola LawalPublished On 1 May 20261 May 2026At least three vessels have been targeted in hijackings this week off the coast of Somalia in what analysts fear is a replay of past piracy around the Horn of Africa.The area was the world’s most notorious hot spot for…
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