Pakistan Navy has deployed its warships in the Arabian Sea following recent incidents of maritime security, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday.

In a statement, spokesperson of Pakistan Navy said the ships were continuously patrolling the Arabian Sea to ensure safety of Pakistan’s trade routes.

He said continuous aerial surveillance of commercial passages was also being done to ensure the safety of Pakistan and international merchant ships.

“Pakistan Navy is well aware of its national responsibility to maintain maritime peace and order in the region,” the spokesperson said.

The development comes a day after India’s navy said its commandos had boarded a vessel in the Arabian Sea after a hijacking distress call, the latest attack on commercial shipping in the region.

Last month the force deployed several warships into the sea to “maintain a deterrent presence” after a string of recent shipping attacks, including a drone strike near India’s coast blamed on Iran by the United States.

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It comes at a time when many vessels have been rerouted from the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthis have carried out drone and missile attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza after October 7 attacks by Hamas has killed at least 22,700 Palestinians, Gaza officials say, and the conflict has spilled into the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, and Red Sea shipping lanes.