'Somali piracy surges as Iran war diverts US naval attention - CNN'

 Piracy off Somalia has reached its highest level since 2013, CNN reported Thursday, as maritime security experts warned that the Iran war and Houthi attacks on shipping were creating new opportunities for pirates.

At one point this summer, six vessels were simultaneously held by pirates, with 90 crew members taken hostage, according to the European Union's Operation Atalanta naval mission.

The resurgence has led to several major hijackings, including the MT Eureka oil tanker and the Honour 25 diesel tanker, whose crew remained captive for more than five months.

Maritime security experts cited by CNN linked the increase to the diversion of naval resources toward the Persian Gulf and Bab al-Mandeb Strait, as well as rising fuel prices and economic hardship in Somalia.

Houthi attacks have also pushed some commercial vessels closer to Somalia's coast, exposing them to greater risks.

"As long as Iran and the Houthis continue to threaten maritime commerce, America and its regional partners will remain primarily focused on those threats, allowing piracy to flourish," Matthew Reisener, a senior national security adviser at the Center for Maritime Strategy, told CNN.

The Honour 25, carrying 2,700 tons of diesel from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked in April, with its 17 crew members held captive for more than five months. Pirates initially demanded $7 million in ransom, later reducing the amount to $1 million, according to survivors interviewed by CNN.

Five crew members were killed in late September during an operation by Puntland maritime police to free the vessel.

Tim Walker, maritime project leader at the Institute for Security Studies Africa, said ships without armed guards were particularly vulnerable, while rising ransom demands had made piracy more profitable.

"It's more lucrative to attack now," Walker said. "For one activity, pirates can get a very large payout – even a couple million dollars."

Experts also pointed to worsening poverty, drought and rising food and fuel costs in Somalia as factors encouraging piracy.

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