OREANDA-NEWS  The war with Iran has given new life to Somali pirates, who have stepped up attacks on merchant ships off the African coast. This is reported by Politico, citing experts and officials.

According to the newspaper, pirates have recently seized at least three tankers with oil and fertilizers, goods whose prices have increased due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. In July, a ship carrying chemicals was hijacked off the coast of Yemen. The hijacked tankers are being held off the coast of Somalia, and dozens of crew members are being held hostage.

Brett Erickson, managing director of Obsidian Risk Advisors, a consulting company, noted that the number of hijacked vessels is still small, but against the background of other threats in the region, the actions of pirates are becoming particularly important. "Every action they take at the moment is quite important," the expert said.

The White House denied the connection between piracy and the war with Iran. "The United States maintains a powerful and highly effective maritime security force in the region, fully equipped to protect critical shipping lanes," an administration official said.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump called the Strait of Hormuz a new US territory. The photo published by the politician shows a geographical map of the Persian and Oman Gulfs. In the center of it, the Strait of Hormuz is highlighted with a blue circle, and above it is a large inscription "New U.S. Territory".