German Chancellor Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Ships in the Red Sea

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz strongly condemned the attacks by Yemen's Houthi group against two Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea.

"The German government condemns in the strongest possible terms the Houthi attacks against Saudi ships in the Red Sea. These attacks must cease immediately. Any form of naval blockade is unacceptable," Merz stated in a press release.

"These reckless attacks endanger freedom of navigation and threaten to further undermine regional stability. We stand in solidarity with Saudi Arabia and our partners in the region," he added.

Yemen's Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attacks, asserting that it targeted two Saudi oil tankers with drones and missiles for violating its declared maritime blockade.

The aggressions heightened concerns that shipping disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz could extend to the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, key transit routes for global crude oil and fuel shipments.