Germany condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi ships in Red Sea

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday strongly condemned attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group on Saudi ships in the Red Sea.

"The German government condemns in the strongest terms the Houthi attacks on Saudi ships in the Red Sea. These attacks must cease immediately. Any form of naval blockade is unacceptable,” Merz said in a statement.

“These reckless attacks jeopardize 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, saying it targeted two Saudi oil tankers with drones and missiles for violating its declared maritime blockade.

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