SINGAPORE - Singapore did not take part in military strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, but it is involved in a multinational task force aimed at keeping ships safe in the Red Sea, the Defence Ministry (Mindef) said.
In response to queries, Mindef in a statement on Jan 13 said Singapore troops are taking part in Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) – an international maritime security force formed to respond to attacks on shipping vessels by Yemeni Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
“OPG is unrelated to the military strikes against the Houthis,” the statement added.
In December, the Singapore-flagged Danish container ship Maersk Hangzhou was hit by a Houthi missile in the Red Sea. Two United States destroyers responded to its call for help, and one of the warships shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles that were being fired towards the ships.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have said the attacks are meant to show support for Palestinian armed group Hamas in its war with Israel in the Gaza Strip.
In December, the rebel group said it would target all ships heading to Israel regardless of nationality, and warned all international shipping firms against calling at Israeli ports.
US helicopters directly struck Houthi forces for the first time on Dec 31, sinking three boats and killing fighters attempting to board a ship.
On Jan 9, the US and Britain shot down 21 missiles and drones in what they described as the biggest Houthi attack so far that directly targeted their warships in the region.
On Jan 12, the two nations launched air and sea strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen after the attacks on ships.
The Houthis are an armed rebel movement that have come to control large parts of Yemen over the past decade.
Speaking in Parliament on Jan 9, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said the attacks by the Houthi rebels resulted in all five of the world’s largest shipping firms suspending transits through the Red Sea, which is the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia.
He added that the Singapore Armed Forces will send a team from the Republic of Singapore Navy’s Information Fusion Centre to support information sharing, and a team of planners to work with international partners on operational plans.
The Mindef statement said OPG is an effort that comes under the ambit of the 39-nation Combined Maritime Forces, which has its headquarters in Bahrain.
One of the missions of the forces is the Combined Task Force 153: Red Sea Maritime Security, which involves more than 20 countries, and focuses on efforts to protect shipping vessels against security threats, such as through information sharing and maritime patrols.
About 12 per cent of the world’s seaborne trade passes through the Red Sea.
