SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) announced on Saturday (13 January) that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) had not taken part in the recent military offensive against the Houthis in Yemen.
On Friday, the U.S. military announced it had carried out additional strikes against the Houthis after Iran-backed militants warned of further attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The airstrikes came a day after dozens of attacks by the United States and Britain on facilities belonging to Iranian-backed groups.
In response to a CNA question on Saturday, a MINDEF spokesperson said Singapore was “contributing personnel” to Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG). This operation is an initiative of the Multinational Maritime Forces Joint Task Force 153: Red Sea Maritime Security.
Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said in parliament on Tuesday that Singapore would participate in the operation by stationing a planning team at its headquarters and working with international partners to develop the plan.
Singapore will also deploy a team from the Republic of Singapore Naval Information Fusion Center to support information sharing and engagement activities with the commercial shipping community, as well as a High National Representative to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in Bahrain. he added.
“OPG is not connected to military attacks against the Houthis,” MINDEF said.
He added that the OPG, which includes more than 20 countries, focuses on efforts to protect ships from security threats through information sharing and maritime patrols.
Since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and Israel’s response to the war in Gaza, the Houthis, who control all of Yemen, have claimed to be acting in solidarity with the Palestinians and launched attacks on international maritime traffic in the Red Sea. It is being strengthened. In Gaza.