The Iranian state TV on Monday announced the successful defense of an Iranian oil tanker sailing in the region close to Yemen. It was while entering the Bab el-Mandeb Strait when the four boats with four to six pirates each, approached the oil tanker. The Iranian Naval forces reported that it was their second defense operation conducted within a month against suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

The State news agencies reported that an escort team of the Iranian Army’s Navy was present on the oil tanker and they clashed with the pirates. The identity of the tanker vessel involved in the incident has not been revealed yet. The armed forces believed that the suspected boats were approaching the oil tanker intending to hijack the vessel, hence they intervened and fired warning shots to scare away the pirates.

Iran has said that to secure naval routes and provide protection to merchant ships, the Iranian navy has increased its presence in the region. Iran’s naval activities are continuing to provide support to the efforts made by the country for increasing its outgoing loaded tankers to Lebanon. Earlier this month, Iran had reported that two small boats had approached two of its oil tankers in the Gulf of Aden. An Iranian destroyer present in the region handled those pirate boats much before they could reach the tankers.

 

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