Pistorius visits frigate before deployment in the Red Sea. It is the Bundeswehr's first foreign deployment for which Pistorius is responsible as Defense Minister.
The primary goal of the mission is to protect merchant ships from attacks by the militant Islamist Houthis from Yemen. The Iranian-backed militia attacks ships with long-range missiles, drones and remote-controlled kamikaze boats. Large shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the shortest sea connection between Asia and Europe because of the Houthi attacks.