YNNews | News | Exclusive Follow-up:
Germany announced on Saturday the withdrawal of the frigate “Hessen” from the Red Sea, along with its crew of 240 personnel, without mentioning the reasons behind it.
According to the German army, as reported by the German channel “DW,” the frigate, with a crew of 240 personnel, completed its mission at 5:50 am (03:50 GMT) and departed from the operational area in the Red Sea. It was added that a replacement frigate would be sent “in 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 attacks by forces from Sana’a, similar to what happened 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 missiles and drones launched by Sana’a forces.
According to American media, the Belgian Ministry of Defense stated on 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 several technical tests during training.
Previously, the French Navy announced that the frigate “Alsace” of the Aquitaine 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 Navy frigate “Alsace” returned from its operational mission in the Red Sea, having experienced, according to its commander Jerome Henry, an unprecedented level of drone attacks, ballistic missiles, and naval attacks by the Houthis.
Days ago, Denmark dismissed its defense chief following the failure of its naval units’ defense systems to counter Sana’a’s attacks.
On February 19, 2024, the European Union launched an operation called “Aspides,” led by Italy, in the Red Sea, while the United States launched an operation called “Guardian of Prosperity.” Both operations aim to counter the attacks launched by Sana’a forces against “Israel” and its ships or those heading towards it via the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. Sana’a forces stipulate what they refer to as “stopping Israeli aggression and lifting the blockade on Gaza” to cease their operations against “Israel.”
