Israeli-linked Oil Tanker Seized by 'Unknown Armed Individuals' in Gulf of Aden

An oil tanker linked to Israel was seized on Sunday, November 26, off the coast of Aden by 'unknown armed individuals'. According to the Associated Press, although no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, two other maritime attacks related to the Israel-Hamas war have occurred in recent days. The company 'Zodiac Maritime', which manages the seized vessel known as 'Central Park', and the intelligence firm 'Ambrey' have confirmed the seizure. A U.S. defense official, who wished to remain anonymous, also confirmed the occurrence of this attack in an interview with the Associated Press. 'Zodiac Maritime' described the attack as 'a suspicious piracy incident' and stated that the safety of its 22 crew members is the company's priority. Zodiac added that the captain of 'Central Park' is Turkish, and its crew members are from Russia, Vietnam, Bulgaria, India, Georgia, and the Philippines. Although 'Zodiac Maritime' described the vessel as belonging to the transport company 'Kalamoz', other documents indicate that Zodiac is the owner of the ship. 'Zodiac Maritime', based in London, is part of the 'Zodiac Group' owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. Additionally, two individuals with the surname Ofer, including Daniel Ofer, who is currently the director of 'Zodiac Maritime', are the current and former managers of 'Kalamoz'. Aden is under the control of the legitimate Yemeni government, which has been at war with the Iran-backed Houthis in recent years. The location of the incident on Sunday is theoretically under the control of the legitimate Yemeni government and is relatively far from the Houthi-controlled area. On the other hand, Somali pirates are not active in this region. A U.S. defense official told the Associated Press that it appears 'an unknown number of armed individuals' have seized the ship. According to him, 'the United States and coalition forces are near [the attack site] and we are closely monitoring the situation.' 'Ambrey' stated that U.S. forces have requested ships to stay away from the area. The attack on 'Central Park' coincides with the ongoing crisis in Gaza and increasing threats against global shipping. Following the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military invasion of Gaza aimed at destroying this Islamist group, Yemeni Houthis seized a vehicle transport ship near Yemen in the Red Sea. An Israeli-owned ship was attacked by a 'suspicious Iranian drone' in the Indian Ocean. A U.S. official stated that the Islamic Republic 'likely' played a role in the hijacking in the Red Sea. The hijacked ship by the Iran-backed Houthis is in the port of Hodeidah, Yemen. A U.S. Navy ship shot down a drone launched from Yemen. An 'unknown' drone attacked the city of Eilat in southern Israel.