As of: February 8, 2024, 3:46 p.m
By: Peter Sieben
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Houthis have been attacking merchant ships for months.
The EU is now stepping in.
Germany is also sending the frigate “Hessen”.
But experts believe that this alone is not enough to be a turning point.
The Red Sea has become a zone that is best avoided.
Houthi rebels have repeatedly targeted commercial ships in recent months, causing major disruptions to global supply chains.
A military coalition has now set itself the goal of stopping these attacks.
Germany is now also involved in this operation against the Houthis.
Germany sends frigate “Hessen” to protect ships from Houthi rebels in the Red Sea
On Thursday, the German frigate “Hessen” began its journey to a planned EU military operation in the Red Sea to protect merchant shipping from attacks by the militant Islamist Houthi militia.
With around 240 soldiers on board, the warship left the German Navy's largest base in Wilhelmshaven.
Jan Christian Kaack, the naval inspector, said: “This is the most serious operation by a German naval unit in many decades.”
However, the international fight against the Houthis will probably last for many more months, according to Middle East expert Hans-Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project (CEP).
“This won’t be over in two or three months.
The coalition will have to stay on site for a long time,” said Schindler in an interview with
IPPEN.MEDIA.
It is not enough to simply destroy the Houthi rebels' missiles, drones and weapons.
“You have to secure the area to such an extent that global shipping companies regain confidence in their ships sailing there.”
Expert on Houthi attacks: “They attack everything that drives there”
Large shipping companies such as Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and Cosco have already taken their ships out of circulation.
Many are now choosing alternative routes around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, adding weeks to journey times and driving up the prices of shipped goods.
Officially, the Islamist Houthis support Hamas in the war in Israel.
But: “It is by no means only directed against ships that go to Israeli ports.
“They attack everything that moves there in order to endanger the global flow of goods,” said Schindler.
In view of this danger, the EU states reached a political agreement in principle at the end of January to launch a military operation to secure merchant shipping in the Red Sea.
Frigate “Hessen” on the way to the Red Sea
European warships and airborne early warning systems to protect cargo ships are involved.
However, they do not want to take part in the ongoing US attacks against Houthi positions in Yemen.
The German frigate “Hessen” is equipped, among other things, with anti-aircraft missiles.
The 143 meter long ship was specially designed for escort and maritime control.
According to the Bundeswehr, its radar can monitor airspace the size of the entire North Sea.
The anti-aircraft missiles have a range of more than 160 kilometers.
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Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) recently called for preparations for the planned EU military operation to be completed quickly.
The attacks by the Houthi rebels are attacking one of the “central arteries of free shipping and thus also of world trade”.
This also has an impact on German companies in China, which often have their goods produced in China transported to Europe through the Red Sea.
Companies are worried, said Ulf Reinhardt, CEO of the German Chamber of Commerce in China, a few weeks ago when presenting the current AHK business climate index.
The situation is very worrying.
“It impacts container freight rates, shipping routes and travel times.”
In China in particular, people still remember the times of the country's zero-Covid policy.
Back then, too, freight prices rose sharply and huge shipping traffic jams formed in front of the major ports.
Iran supports Houthis
The Houthis are supported by Iran, which uses the Yemeni rebels as a means to an end, according to Hans-Jakob Schindler: "One of the Iranians' goals is to severely disrupt and bleed their rivals, the Saudis." Saudi Arabia, which borders Yemen, is fighting the Houthi rebels.
The Iranians view Saudi Arabia as a competitor in the Middle East.
“Iran is supporting the Houthis in the conflict in Yemen just enough so that they cannot lose, but cannot win either,” said Hans-Jakob Schindler.
The Iranians regularly supply the Yemeni militia with weapons and technology.
(with dpa)