Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has strongly criticized the naval blockade enforced by the Houthi militia against Saudi Arabia. On Thursday evening, Merz stated that “the federal government condemns the Houthi attacks on Saudi ships in the Red Sea in the strongest possible terms.” He insisted that these actions must cease immediately, adding that “any form of naval blockade is unacceptable.”
The Chancellor further explained that these “reckless attacks” threaten maritime freedom and threaten to undermine regional stability further. Merz affirmed, “We stand in solidarity with Saudi Arabia and our partners in the region.”
The Houthi militia initiated a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabian vessels on Monday. According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a Saudi tanker was recently attacked in the Red Sea, resulting in a fire ignited by an unknown projectile. The Houthi militia, which is supported by Iran, claimed to have attacked two Saudi oil tankers.
