Iranian Navy Foils Pirate Attack on Oil Tanker in Gulf of Aden

Iran’s navy has opened fire on pirates near the Gulf of Aden to thwart an attack on an Iranian oil tanker on Sunday, according to Iran’s state TV.

Reports state that after receiving a distress signal from the tanker, the navy rushed to the site where the vessel was under attack from around 35 pirate boats. The speedboats fled after Iranian forces opened fire. No casualties were reported in the incident.

Occasionally, Iran will announce the rescue of its vessels, and others, from piracy threats. Iranian vessels are part of an international fleet of warships that patrols the Gulf of Aden near the entrance to the Red Sea, to protect shipping from Somalia-based pirates.