The CombinedMaritime Forces (CMF) has warned all ships to “stay well away from Bab al-Mandab”, tanker body INTERTANKO said in a note circulated to its members.

“The threat period for shipping is expected to last for several days,” the note, seen by Reuters, said.

CMF is a multinational maritime partnership led by the U.S. from Bahrain, the base for the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet. CMF has 39 members, including NATO and European states, regional countries and other nations.

INTERTANKO represents the greater part of the world’s independent tanker fleet, with about 185 independent member companies encompassing more than 4,000 vessels.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Robert Harvey, Natalie Grover and Ahmad Ghaddar in London; Editing by Toby Chopra)