YNNews | News | Exclusive:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sanaa government commented today, Sunday, on the departure of the German frigate “Hessen” from the Red Sea.
This came in a statement by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Sanaa government, Hussein Al-Azzi, in a post on his account on the “X” platform, monitored by “New Yemen News.”
Al-Azzi considered that the departure of the German frigate is a step in the right direction.
He said, “We reaffirm once again that Sanaa is the most committed to the safety of navigation and the most respectful of the rights and interests of peoples,” adding, “and all countries should reciprocate Sanaa’s level of commitment and respect,” according to him.
He continued, “No one in this world is forced to be hostile towards us, and anyone who does so is committing a grave mistake against us and against themselves,” according to his expression.
https://x.com/hussinalezzi5/status/1781994146879713396
Germany announced on Saturday the withdrawal of the frigate “Hessen” from the Red Sea with its 240-member crew, without mentioning the reasons behind it. The German army said, according to what was published by the German channel “DW,” that “the frigate, with a crew of 240 members, completed its mission at 5:50 a.m. (03:50 GMT) and left the operational area in the Red Sea,” adding that a replacement frigate will be sent “mid-summer.”
Observers speculate that the reason for the withdrawal of the German frigate is due to the failure of its defense systems to counter the attacks of the Sanaa forces, as was the case with other European frigates. Belgium announced on Monday the postponement of deploying its forces in the Red Sea after the defense systems of the frigate “Louise-Marie” failed to counter the missiles and aircraft of the Sanaa forces.
The Belgian Ministry of Defense said, according to American media, last Monday, that “Belgium has postponed the deployment of the frigate Louise-Marie in the Red Sea ‘for an indefinite period of time’ after the ship failed in several technical tests during training.”
Previously, the French navy announced that the frigate “Alsace” of the “Aquitan” class returned to the port of Toulon last week after a 71-day mission in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as part of the European Union Naval Force’s “Operation Atalanta.”
According to the French newspaper “Le Figaro,” the French naval frigate “Alsace” returned from its operational mission in the Red Sea, after, according to its commander Jerome Henry, it was subjected to an unprecedented level of attacks by Houthi drones, ballistic missiles, and naval missiles.
Prior to that, Denmark dismissed its defense chief following the failure of its naval vessels’ defense systems to counter Sanaa’s attacks.
The European Union announced on February 19, 2024, the launching of an operation called “Atalanta,” led by Italy in the Red Sea, while the United States launched an operation called “Guardian of Prosperity,” aimed at countering the attacks launched by the forces of the Sanaa government against “Israel” and its ships or those heading to it through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. The Sanaa government stipulates what it calls for, “the cessation of Israeli aggression and the lifting of the blockade on Gaza” to stop its operations against “Israel.”
