Iran Deploys Alborz Warship In Red Sea Amidst Escalating Tensions

Iran’s Alborz warship has crossed the vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait and entered the Red Sea, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. Twelve per cent of international trade passes via the Red Sea, connected to the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean by the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The deployment coincides with the US’s formation of a multinational naval task force in early December to address Red Sea security issues. The decision was made in response to Houthi rebels in Yemen attacking merchant vessels with missiles and drones, which forced the suspension of transit through the region.

Iran claimed that since 2009, its naval force has been conducting operations in the area to secure maritime routes and prevent piracy. According to the Tasnim source, the Houthi rebels suffered injuries as a result of the US Navy intervening against them when they attempted to board a cargo ship off the coast of Yemen.

The Red Sea conflict has also impacted shipping routes; big corporations have taken a longer route across Africa’s Cape of Good Hope instead of using the Suez Canal because of the security dangers involved. Since November, the Houthis have started launching attacks on vessels in the Red Sea as an act of support for Hamas in its battle with Israel.

A prominent commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Sayyed Razi Mousavi, was reportedly killed last week in an Israeli airstrike south of Damascus, further complicating the already complicated situation. The region’s changing geopolitical landscape raises questions about the security of vital streams and international trade routes.

Reference: Al Jazeera

Iran Deploys Alborz Warship In Red Sea Amidst Escalating Tensions appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News