A German naval frigate repelled two attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, as part of a European Union mission tasked with protecting the shipping lane in the Red Sea, German media and the army announced early Wednesday.

The dpa German Press Agency reported citing sources that Frigate Hessen successfully “engaged two enemy targets on Tuesday evening.”

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The German army, the Bundeswehr, said in a statement on its website that Frigate Hessen intercepted a drone and that the crew “initiated defensive measures in accordance with the rules of engagement and successfully fought the… drone.”

The Hessen was then approached by another drone, prompting the crew to engage again in defensive measures and successfully repelled the attack.

“There was no personal injury or property damage on the frigate,” the Bundeswehr said.

The Hessen joined the European Union’s Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) operation Aspides that was launched last week to deter Houthi threats and protect shipping in the Red Sea.

Yemen’s Houthis have been attacking ships in the vital shipping lane since November in a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The Houthis had said that halting attacks on passing ships is conditional to ending the assault on Gaza and allow the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.

The Hessen is built for air defense, and it is equipped with radars that can detect targets at a range of up to 400 kilometers and missiles to shoot down targets such as ballistic missiles and drones at a range of more than 160 kilometers.

Dpa said that Tuesday’s events were “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.”

Operation Aspides

The EU’s naval mission was launched on February 19 after frequent Houthi attacks affected the global shipping lane and imposed threats to maritime security in the area.

The Greek word for shields, “operation Aspides will contribute to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation, for the sake of the EU, the region, and the wider international community,” according to the EU’s website.

The mission is mandated with protecting vessels against ongoing attacks, accompanying vessels and reinforcing “maritime situational awareness – such as monitoring, assessing possible threats and sharing information – in coordination with partners.”

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The EU has said that the mission’s mandate -- set initially for one year -- is limited to protecting civilian shipping in the Red Sea and that no attacks will be carried out “on Yemeni soil.”

With agencies

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