American officials stated that a U.S. Navy warship responded to a distress call from a commercial tanker in the Gulf of Aden that was seized by armed individuals, adding that the tanker is now safe. The owning company announced that the tanker is named "Central Park" and was transporting a cargo of phosphoric acid. Officials did not disclose the identity of the attackers. One American official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the U.S. warship Mason responded to the distress call, adding that the tanker was freed.
The incident involving the chemical tanker is the latest in a series of attacks on ships in the Middle East since the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) last month. It also follows the seizure of a cargo ship linked to Israel by Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels in the southern Red Sea last week, where the Houthis pledged to target more Israeli vessels. They had also launched ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel.
According to LSJG data, the small oil tanker Central Park (with a capacity of 19,998 tons) is managed by Zodiac Maritime Limited, owned by the Israeli Ofer family, an international ship management company based in London. The tanker was built in 2015, flies the Liberian flag, and is owned by Clomfiz Shipping. Zodiac Maritime Limited stated that Central Park, carrying a full load of phosphoric acid, experienced what is suspected to be a piracy incident while sailing in international waters, approximately 54 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. Phosphoric acid is commonly used in fertilizer production.
The statement added, "Our priority is the safety of our crew of 22 aboard the tanker. The vessel, which is captained by a Turkish captain, has a multinational crew consisting of Russians, Vietnamese, Bulgarians, Indians, Georgians, and Filipinos." No remarks have yet been issued by Houthi officials. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency acknowledged awareness of a potential attack in southwestern Aden, urging other vessels to exercise caution.
The United States has held Iran responsible for attacks on several ships in the region over the past few years, although Tehran has denied any involvement. An American defense official stated Saturday that a container ship managed by a company controlled by Israelis was attacked by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean, causing minor damage to the vessel without injuries.
