Aden (South24) 

Several Arab countries condemned on Tuesday (May 12) the hijacking of the oil tanker "M/T EUREKA" off the Yemeni coast, which has Egyptian sailors on board, considering the incident a serious threat to maritime navigation security and international trade movement. 

Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Jordan issued official statements affirming their solidarity with Egypt, calling for ensuring the safety of the kidnapped sailors and accelerating their release. 

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had announced on May 11 the hijacking of the ship near the Somali coast, noting that there were eight Egyptian sailors on board.  

Yemeni authorities had announced on May 2 that the tanker was subjected to hijacking from Yemeni territorial waters off the coast of Shabwah Governorate and was being led toward Somalia. 

Qatar emphasized that the incident represents a "flagrant violation of international law and a serious threat to the security of maritime navigation," while the UAE described the operation as a "direct threat to the safety of international trade lines." 

Similarly, Bahrain and Jordan considered the incident a violation of the rules of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, with calls for coordinated international action to confront piracy operations in vital maritime corridors. 

In the same context, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the hijacking of the tanker and its seizure toward Somalia is a flagrant violation of international law. 

These developments come amid growing fears of a resurgence in piracy activity in the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa, after years of relative decline, coinciding with the escalation of Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since late 2023. 

International reports and warnings had indicated that Houthi attacks on international navigation might contribute to creating a favorable environment for the return of piracy networks and armed activity in the maritime passages near the Yemeni and Somali coasts.  

In this context, The New York Times reported on May 3 that the hijacking of the oil tanker "MT EUREKA" reflects an alarming escalation in maritime piracy activities, amid indications of the possibility of coordination between Somali pirates and the Houthi group. 

At the time, the newspaper quoted an official in the Somali region of Puntland and informed experts stating that the attack was carried out by armed Somali pirates, with suspicions of the involvement of Yemeni elements, amid investigations regarding potential links to armed groups, including the Houthis. 

The report pointed out that the incident is considered the first ship hijacking operation carried out by Somali piracy groups since the escalation of Houthi attacks on navigation in the region. 

A previous report by the UN Security Council Panel of Experts had indicated the existence of links between the Houthi group and the Somali Al-Shabaab movement, including the potential exchange of support and expertise. 

The Somali coasts witnessed extensive piracy activity between 2008 and 2018, before declining for years, only to return again since late 2023 with the escalation of security tensions in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.