A renewed surge in Somali piracy is raising alarm across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, with analysts warning of a growing alliance between Somali pirate groups and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement. The latest incident involved the hijacking of an oil tanker off Yemen’s coast, underscoring what experts describe as a major shift in maritime instability across one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.

Security analysts say the collaboration is opportunistic but dangerous. The Houthis are believed to provide advanced surveillance capabilities and geopolitical cover, while Somali pirates carry out ship boardings using small boats. This revived ‘Somali model’ involves seizing entire vessels along with their cargo and crews, then demanding multimillion-dollar ransoms after moving ships to secure coastal anchorages.

The threat has intensified as instability near the Strait of Hormuz has forced Saudi Arabia to reroute large volumes of crude oil through the Red Sea. With global oil prices elevated, tankers traveling these waters present highly lucrative targets. Recent weeks have seen multiple hijackings and attempted seizures, prompting risk levels in the region to be raised.

Experts warn that international naval forces focused on missile and drone threats have left gaps in maritime patrols, creating what they call a ‘security vacuum.’ The Red Sea carries between 12 percent and 15 percent of global trade, including energy shipments worth more than 1 trillion dollars annually, making the resurgence of piracy a significant threat to global commerce.