The German naval frigate Hessen, deployed to the Red Sea as part of an EU naval mission to protect shipping, has repelled an attack by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen for the first time, according to dpa sources.
The vessel successfully engaged two enemy targets on Tuesday evening, sources said.
This was the German navy's first live weapons engagement of the deployment, which began on Friday and is considered one of the German armed forces' most dangerous missions in decades.
The mission is about protecting international law, freedom and security on the seas, but also about stabilizing trade routes and the entire region, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said last week.
"It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most serious, the most dangerous deployment of the navy in decades," Pistorius said.
Last week, the Houthi militia declared its intention to expand attacks on merchant ships off Yemen's coast. The group's leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, said in a televised address that the group was escalating its attacks in response to Israel's escalation in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have in the past said they would target vessels linked to Israel, the United States or Britain.
So far, the militia has attacked 48 ships, he said. He also announced the use of underwater weapons. Several Western countries, including the US and Britain, are involved in operations to repel the attacks.
EU foreign ministers approved the mission, called Aspides after the Greek word for "shields," on Monday. It involves sending European warships and airborne early warning systems to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters.
Aspides vessels have orders only to fire on the militants if they attack first and are be authorized to shoot pre-emptively. The operational command is in the Greek city of Larissa.
