This Video Does Not Show a German Vessel In the Red Sea

Misbar investigated the circulating video and found the claim to be misleading. 

Misbar's team found that the video dates back to 2018, depicting a German naval vessel in the North Atlantic. On the German frigate "Sachsen," a significant incident occurred during the firing of an anti-aircraft missile near the coast of Norway on June 21.

According to a news article, a German air defense frigate sustained damage in a missile-firing mishap off the Norwegian coast last week. A Standard SM-2 missile got stuck in its launcher, leading to significant damage to the ship's bow due to the resulting rocket exhaust. Two German Navy sailors suffered injuries during the incident.

On June 21st, the FGS Sachsen, the initial vessel of four Type 124 air defense frigates in German Navy service, was endeavoring to deploy a Standard SM-2 air defense missile. Although the missile's rocket motor ignited, it failed to clear the Mk.41 vertical launch system silo. An explosion occurred, followed by a brief yet intense fire as the rocket motor burned.

German Frigate Fires Shots in Drone Encounter

The German Defense Ministry confirmed an incident involving a drone from an unspecified allied nation occurred on Monday. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that the Hesse frigate, deployed in the region over the weekend as part of an E.U. mission aimed at safeguarding international shipping from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, engaged in gunfire after attempts to identify the unidentified drone proved futile.

Ministry spokesman Michael Stempfle explained, "The situation was resolved when it became apparent that the drone was not hostile, a fact that became clear only afterward." Two missiles aimed at the drone missed their mark and plunged into the sea due to "a technical malfunction," as reported by Der Spiegel news magazine. The publication also asserted that the UAV in question was a U.S. Reaper reconnaissance drone.

The German government has authorized the deployment of armed forces in a European Union naval mission in the Red Sea. This move aims to safeguard merchant ships from attacks by the Yemeni Houthi militia, which is supported by Iran. This decision comes in response to numerous commercial shippers rerouting their vessels following Houthi attacks. The Houthis, who control significant parts of Yemen, claim to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians.

Houthis Threaten Further Attacks on British Ships in Gulf of Aden

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels pledged on Sunday to persist in targeting British vessels in the Gulf of Aden after the sinking of the U.K.-owned ship Rubymar. The U.S. military confirmed on Saturday that Rubymar, a vessel owned by the U.K, had been sunk by an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Houthi militants on Feb. 18.

Hussein al-Ezzi, the deputy foreign minister in the Houthi-led government, declared in a statement on X that "Yemen will continue to sink more British ships, and any repercussions or other damages will be added to Britain's bill." Since mid-November, Houthi militants have frequently launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping, asserting their actions as solidarity with Palestinians amid war in Gaza.

These attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping routes, prompting companies to opt for longer and costlier voyages around southern Africa. 

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