New Zealand has announced that it will be deploying a six-person New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) team to the Middle East region. According to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, this was to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea.
The team is set to contribute to the collective self-defence of ships in the Middle East from operational headquarters in the region as well as other places, in accordance with international law. The announcement also stated that none of the members in the NZDF personnel will be entering Yemen.
According to Foreign Minister Winston Peters, the strikes that are being carried out by the international coalition are against the Houthi military targets that have contributed in the attacks to commercial and naval vessels. Peters said that the efforts were in support of international security as well as the free flow of trade that New Zealanders relied on.
“Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilising,” said Luxon.
“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,” he said.
Judith Collins, the defence minister, said that the attacks disregarded international law, peace, and stability and the response of the coalition was a consequence brought about by such 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,” Collins said.
Peters said that these actions were not in connection with the Israel-Gaza conflict.
“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,” said Peters.
The deployment is set to conclude by 31 July.
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