Germany consults with European partners on security mission in the Red Sea

A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Germany and its partners in the European Union are considering whether they can undertake a new naval mission to protect commercial ships at risk of attack in the Red Sea.

The spokesperson stated, "The German government is prepared for it. The European Union must be able to act as quickly as possible in the face of ongoing attacks," adding that no decision has been made yet.

Houthi rebels, allied with Iran, have attacked dozens of ships with missiles and drones since November 19 in response to the war waged by Israel against the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza, following the attack launched by Hamas on October 7 in southern Israel.

The United States is leading a new naval force, known as Operation Prosperity Guardian, to counter Houthi attacks in Yemen, but some allies are hesitant to join the mission.

The spokesperson mentioned that Germany continues to study the possibility of participating in the mission led by the United States.

He added that there are also discussions in Brussels about extending the current European Union mission to combat piracy (Atalanta), which aims to protect shipping in the Red Sea, but no decision has been made yet.

Reuters