Prime Minister Christopher Luxon yesterday announced the Coalition was deploying a six-member Defence Force team to the Middle East “to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea”.
“Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilising,” he said.
“This deployment, as part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New Zealand’s long history of defending freedom of navigation both in the Middle East and closer to home.”
The team would contribute to the collective self-defence of ships in the Middle East, in accordance with international law, from operational headquarters in the region and elsewhere.
No NZDF personnel would enter Yemen.
It was part of a continuous New Zealand defence contribution to maritime security in the Middle East since 2013.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters argued the strikes being carried out by the international coalition were against Houthi military targets which had played a role in attacking commercial and naval vessels.
Free flow of trade
“These efforts support international security and the free flow of trade on which New Zealanders rely,” Peters said.
Defence Minister Judith Collins said the Houthi attacks showed a disregard for international law, peace and stability, and the Coalition response was an inevitable consequence of their actions.
“Our NZDF personnel are highly trained and this deployment will see them work alongside their counterparts on an important mission. New Zealand supports global stability and this deployment shows our commitment to efforts to address a serious threat to that stability.”
Peters said New Zealand’s actions to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea should not be conflated with its position on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
“Any suggestion our ongoing support for maritime security in the Middle East is connected to recent developments in Israel and the Gaza Strip, is wrong.
Regional security
“We are contributing to this military action for the same reason New Zealand has sent Defence personnel to the Middle East for decades - we care deeply about regional security because our economic and strategic interests depend on it.”
The deployment is mandated to conclude no later than July 31.
The government issued its reasons for the decision as:
• Freedom of navigation is an integral part of New Zealand’s national prosperity and trade security. New Zealand has contributed to maritime security efforts in the Middle East and elsewhere continuously since 2013 to protect not only our vital national interest but also the international rules-based order.
• The decision to deploy a team of six NZDF personnel to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea has been made with these same goals in mind: defending lives, de-escalating tensions, and restoring stability to the Red Sea.
• The deployment will be separate from, but complementary to New Zealand’s longstanding contribution to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multi-national maritime partnership based in Bahrain. NZDF has contributed to the CMF since 2013 and currently has 12 personnel deployed in a range of roles.
• The NZDF has been a longstanding contributor to wider international security efforts in the Middle East since 1954. Our current deployments, comprise:
Operation Name:
Description Since Current personnel SCORIA
UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) 1954 8 FARAD
Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) mission 1982 31 TROY
NZ Defence Support Unit, Middle East 2003 6 PUKEKO
Maritime Security efforts in the Middle East 2013 12
The Houthi were given numerous formal warnings to end their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, including:
• 1 December 2023: The UN Security Council issued press statement condemning Houthi attacks
• 18 December: US and partners established Operation Prosperity Guardian
• 19 December: US State Department issued a joint statement condemning attacks with 44 partner nations (including New Zealand)
• 3 January 2024: White House released a joint statement condemning attacks with 14 nations (including New Zealand)
• 10 January 2024: Thr UN Security Council condemned Houthi attacks in adopting Resolution 2722 (2024)
Additionally, in December and January, the UK and US frequently publicly condemned the attacks and made clear their willingness to act to protect shipping, statements included:
• 6 December: A White House press statement following a virtual G7 meeting condemned the Houthi attacks.
• 31 December the UK Defence Secretary Shapps said the UK was “willing to take direct action” to protect the shipping lane.
• 4 January: the State Department issued a press statement condemning Houthi attacks and saying “We urge the Houthis to immediately release the ship and crew unharmed and to cease all violence that sets back the political process to end the war in Yemen.”
• 10 January: US Secretary of State Blinken publicly warned the Houthi of consequences for their attacks