German Ship Carrying 240 Soldiers Heads To Red Sea To Prevent The Houthi Attacks (representational image @deutschemarine)
A German naval vessel is heading towards the Red Sea to prevent the Houthi attack in the region. As per navigational data collected from Marine Traffic, a site that is specialised in ship surveillance, the F221 HESSEN Saxony frigate has left the port of Wilhelmshaven. It is Germany’s largest naval base.
It is said that the ship has left the port on February 8, by carrying 240 soldiers in addition to the regular frigates crew. It is destined to reach the destination on February 19. German Navy Commander and Vice Admiral Jean-Christian Kak said the ship aims to participate in the European Union’s mission to protect the maritime trade. While talking at a news conference in Berlin, Kak said the mission aims to support military efforts against missile and drone attacks by the Yemeni group in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Earlier, US Central Command released a statement which said that the cargo ship which was attacked by the Houthis was bound for a port in Iran. It said the ship was carrying corn. Houthi Spokesperson Yahya Saree said identified the ship as Star Iris, which flies under a Marshall Islands flag, as a US ship.
According to AP, the ship’s owner Star Bulk Carrier Corp is a from Greece, but the company is under the Nasdaq Stock Market, which is in New York. As the ship’s owners may trade on a US stock exchange, CENTCOM said the ship was on its way to Iran and was carrying corn from Brazil.
CENTCOM said though the ship was hit with two missiles, it is still “seaworthy with minor damage and no injuries to the crew”.
Houthi Attack in Bab al-Mandeb
On Feb. 12 from 3:30 to 3:45 a.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired two missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Bab al-Mandeb. Both missiles were launched toward MV Star Iris, a Greek-owned, Marshall… pic.twitter.com/vfihRaw0rr
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 13, 2024
Yemen’s militant group has been attacking commercial ships passing through the Red Sea, declaring their solidarity with Palestinians. Houthis said they only attack the ships that have link with Israel, and vowed to continue the attack until Israel call off the aggression on Palestine. As response to the Houthi attack, US has started a coalition operation called as Operation Prosperity Guardian, and has been attacking Houthi targets as a response.
