NL will not extend maritime contribution in eastern Mediterranean
The Netherlands will not extend its maritime contribution to security in the eastern Mediterranean. The air-defense and command frigate HNLMS Evertsen will return home in early May.
Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz and Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen informed the House of Representatives in a letter that the deployment will not be extended. The decision was taken in “close consultation” with France. The Evertsen supported the protection of a French aircraft carrier following Iranian drone attacks directed at Cyprus.
The frigate was rapidly deployed to the region in early March to help intercept drones and potential missile threats. Shortly before that, the ship had taken part in exercises in the Baltic Sea. According to the ministers, the swift redeployment demonstrated “the professionalism and readiness of the Dutch armed forces.”
The Evertsen sailed without an operational deck gun, which led to questions and criticism in the House of Representatives. The cabinet said this posed no operational risk, as the mission focused on aerial threats, not on surface vessels or land targets.
The cabinet is now exploring a possible Dutch contribution to an international security mission in the Strait of Hormuz, provided the security situation allows. The Netherlands is prioritizing a plan by an international coalition, alongside U.S. initiatives aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation.
