U.S. and German foreign ministers spoke on Saturday and agreed on the importance of international efforts to stop Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and ensure maritime security.
The two ministers also discussed the need to meet humanitarian needs in Gaza and protect civilians. They also discussed the need to prevent the conflict in the Middle East from spreading, according to the State Department statement.
The announcement came as two major shipping companies, Denmark’s Maersk and Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd, suspended their operations in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks.
Maersk said in a statement that it had ordered all of its ships in the region to stop sailing until further notice. Hapag-Lloyd said it was suspending container traffic through the Red Sea until Monday, at least.
The attacks came after the Houthis warned that they would target ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea in retaliation for the war between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier on Friday, the Houthis claimed to have targeted two container ships off the coast of Yemen, both headed to Israel.
“The naval forces of the Yemeni armed forces carried out a military operation against the MSC Alanya and MSC Pallatium container ships, which were heading to the Zionist entity,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement.
He said the ships were targeted after their crews refused to respond to calls from the Yemeni naval forces and warning fire.
A U.S. defense official told The Associated Press that “we are aware that something launched from an area controlled by the Houthis in Yemen struck this vessel, which was damaged. There are reports of a fire.”
The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also said that a ship had been hit by an “unknown object,” causing a fire but no injuries.
German intelligence firm Ambrey noted that Hapag-Lloyd has offices in the Israeli ports of Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Ashdod.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Friday that “the Houthi attacks on civilian merchant ships in the Red Sea must stop immediately.”
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that the Houthis pose a “tangible threat to freedom of navigation.”
He told reporters on Friday during a visit to Israel that “the United States is working with the international community and partners in the region and around the world to address this threat,” adding that “the Houthis pull the trigger, but it’s Iran that’s supplying them with the weapons.”
On Wednesday, Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani warned against the deployment of a multinational force in the Red Sea, which he considers to be an area under his country’s influence.
“If they make such an irrational decision, they will face major problems,” he told the Iranian news agency ISNA.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said in response to a question about the consequences of the attacks in the Red Sea that he is “concerned about the risk of escalation” in the region.
“Our region is very complex and we don’t need any more conflicts,” he said at a news conference in Oslo. “We hope that we can avoid any further escalation in our region.”
About 20,000 ships pass through this maritime route each year, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean.
In recent weeks, the Houthis have intensified their attacks near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which is strategically important for shipping as it separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa and carries 40% of international trade.
