Pirate Attacks Surge Off Somalia: A Clear Threat to Global and American Maritime Security

Off the volatile coast of Somalia, a resurgence in pirate activity signals a dangerous erosion of maritime security that reverberates far beyond East Africa. On Thursday, attackers armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades brazenly boarded a Malta-flagged tanker navigating one of the world's most critical shipping corridors.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center promptly raised alarms as private security firms confirmed the assault likely stemmed from Somali pirates emboldened by regional chaos. This uptick in piracy coincides directly with instability fueled by Houthi rebel attacks along the Red Sea—a spillover effect from broader conflicts involving Iran-backed forces amid the...