New Zealand announced on Tuesday it would send a six-member defence team to the Middle East region to provide maritime security in the Red Sea.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated along with Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins that troops would not enter Yemen.
Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilising.
Luxon added that the defence team “will contribute to the collective self-defence of ships in the Middle East, in accordance with international law, from operational headquarters in the region and elsewhere.” The country plans to complete the dispatch of soldiers no later than July 31, 2024.
Tensions in the Red Sea escalated amid attacks by the Houthis on merchant ships suspected of having ties to Israel. The group claims their attacks are aimed at pressuring Israel to halt the Gaza Strip offensive, which has killed more than 25,295 people since a surprise attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced last month the formation of a multinational mission, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to counter Houthi attacks. In recent days, the US and the UK have launched aerial strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
The Red Sea is one of the world’s most frequently used sea routes for supplies, including oil and fuel. The route through Egypt’s Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aden allows ships to avoid the much more costly and longer route via the Cape of Good Hope on the southern coast of Africa.
