Officials Say Hijacked Tanker is Safe After U.S. Navy Response

U.S. officials said on Sunday night that a U.S. Navy ship responded to a "distress call" from a commercial tanker in the Gulf of Aden that had been seized by armed individuals, and the vessel is now safe. According to Reuters, the tanker, which was carrying a cargo of phosphoric acid, was identified by the shipping company as the "Central Park." Officials did not identify the attackers. The U.S. military stated that the USS Mason, with the assistance of allied ships, demanded the release of the commercial vessel from the assailants. Five armed individuals attempted to escape in a speedboat but were pursued by the U.S. warship and ultimately surrendered. The statement also added that "two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards the Mason and the Central Park tanker, but landed about 10 nautical miles away from them, causing no damage or casualties." This incident is the latest in a series of attacks in Middle Eastern waters since the outbreak of war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas on October 7. This attack followed the seizure of an Israel-linked cargo ship by Houthi forces in the southern Red Sea last week. The group, which has also fired ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel, has vowed to target more Israeli vessels. The Central Park is a small chemical tanker operated by an international shipping management company based in London and owned by the Israeli Ofer family. Zodiac Maritime stated that the Central Park, carrying a full cargo of phosphoric acid, was involved in a suspicious piracy incident while passing through international waters, approximately 54 nautical miles from the coast of Somalia. Phosphoric acid is primarily used for fertilizers. The statement added, "Our priority is the safety of our 22 crew members. The Turkish captain's ship has a multinational crew consisting of nationals from Russia, Vietnam, Bulgaria, India, Georgia, and the Philippines." As of the time of this report, there has been no immediate comment from Houthi officials. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Agency (UKMTO) also announced on Sunday that it was aware of a possible attack in the southwest of Aden and advised other vessels to exercise caution. The United States has held the Islamic Republic of Iran responsible for attacks on several ships in the region in recent years. Tehran has denied its involvement. The Israel-linked tanker was seized in the Gulf of Aden by "unknown armed individuals." Republican Senator Tom Cotton called for a "major retaliatory action" by the U.S. against the Islamic Republic. CENTCOM reported the arrival of the Eisenhower strike group in the Persian Gulf; the goal: to ensure the security of free shipping.