Iran: Flotilla sets off for Yemeni waters

The Iranian Navy has sent a small group of warships to patrol the waters around the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at the entrance to the Red Sea. The 61st naval group comprises the destroyer Sabalan and the logistical support vessel Bandar Abbas. Rear Admiral Afshin Tashak, commander of the navy’s Southern Fleet, said the group’s mission was “to provide security for the routes used by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines in the area.”