German Soldiers to Join EU's Red Sea Mission

Facts

• Germany's federal government has agreed to send its troops to join the EU naval mission — dubbed Aspides — in the Red Sea, with a parliamentary vote confirming Berlin's involvement expected to pass on Feb. 23.¹
• According to a chancellery spokesperson, up to 700 soldiers could join the operation to protect merchant vessels from Houthi attacks as part of a yet-to-be-approved mandate that expires on Feb. 28, 2025.²
• Aspides, set to be officially launched on Monday, is reportedly a purely defensive mission to ensure freedom of navigation in international waters, including Bab Al Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz.³
• Early this month, the German naval frigate Hessen, which is equipped with anti-aircraft missiles and designed for escort and maritime surveillance duties, set sail with a crew of some 240 sailors to join ongoing operation in the Red Sea.⁴
• Yemen's Houthis have been targeting Israeli vessels and ships headed to Israeli ports since last November, allegedly in retaliation against Tel Aviv's offensive against Hamas in Gaza. The rebels have also attacked the US and UK ships, reportedly to avenge their military campaign against Yemen.⁵
• Mounting instability in the Red Sea — through which at least 12% of global sea trade and 40% of Asia-Europe trade usually passes — has reportedly disrupted international trade routes and threatened European economic interests.⁶

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Anadolu Agency, ³The National, ⁴DPA, ⁵PressTV and ⁶Jerusalem Post.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The Washington Institute. With a consensual defensive mandate to bolster deterrence and protect commercial ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Aspides is the latest in many EU actions aimed at protecting freedom of navigation worldwide. Berlin's move to approve the deployment of hundreds of troops for this mission further demonstrates Europe's willingness to help de-escalate regional tensions.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Dw.Com. A whole new response to the crisis in the Red Sea is hardly the definitive answer to defusing tensions, especially as the West seems still to be ignoring that the Israeli offensive on Gaza is the root of all this instability. If the EU hadn't undermined its credibility among those supporting Palestine in the first place, the bloc could now seek a diplomatic solution instead of risking further escalating the conflict with this military mission.

Predictions