Bundeswehr considers itself equipped for deployment in the Red Sea

Germany is looking into participating in protecting cargo traffic in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks. The Ministry of Defense denies reports of a lack of capacity in the Bundeswehr - and names two ships that could be deployed.

The German government is considering the participation of the Bundeswehr in a US-led international military coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea. According to a spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Defense, the German Navy would in principle be able to support such a mission. A request from the USA is still being examined, but a decision has not yet been made, added government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. If the Bundeswehr were to participate, the Bundestag would have to issue a mandate.

Last Monday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced a "multinational security initiative" to protect shipping in the Red Sea. The attacks on merchant ships by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen are "an international challenge that requires joint action", said Austin.

Hebestreit sees "serious consequences"

The German government shares this assessment. The attacks by the Houthis are a "major threat to civilian shipping", emphasized Hebestreit. "This has a serious impact on the safety of these ships, and that is unacceptable." Hebestreit called on the Houthis and their allies to stop the attacks immediately.

The Ministry of Defense refuted reports that the Bundeswehr currently has no capacity to support a mission in the Red Sea. Such reports are "false", said the spokesman. He referred to the frigates "Hamburg" and "Sachsen", which are precisely tailored to the requirements of such a mission. This involves areas such as logistics, command and control and reconnaissance, which the German Navy would be able to provide.

International coordination

If there is a "political mandate for this", the navy could take on the necessary tasks, the spokesperson added. A Foreign Office spokesperson said in Berlin that the German government was "in discussions with the USA and European partners on how to thwart these attacks in future". Participation in an international military operation is currently being examined internally.

Since the beginning of the war between Israel and the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas, the Houthi militia in Yemen has repeatedly fired drones and missiles at Israel and attacked ships in the Red Sea. The Islamist Huthi are threatening to attack any ship on its way to Israel unless more food and medicine is allowed to be transported to the Gaza Strip.

Expert: Huthi boats are "extremely effective"

Meanwhile, experts warn that the important trade route along the Arabian Peninsula is difficult to secure. "Countries and groups with no or weak air forces are able to carry out attacks over long distances using drones or anti-ship missiles," says Fabian Hinz from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank. "This is a new reality for the West."

The Houthis could also use unmanned boats as a further weapon. "This complicates the situation considerably," says Dirk Siebels from Risk Intelligence, a Danish risk assessment company. "These boats have proven to be extremely effective in the past."

The Red Sea is an important shipping route through which up to twelve percent of global trade passes. Yemen is located on the Bab el-Mandeb strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.