EU launches mission Aspides to protect Red Sea vessels from Houthi attacks
The European Union on Monday formally launched a bespoke naval mission to protect commercial vessels in the Red Sea from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Euronews reports.
Mission ‘Aspides’ - Greek for shield - will aim to preserve freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, a region plagued with instability since October when Houthi rebels began targeting vessels navigating the waterway with a barrage of drone and rocket attacks.
The Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group that controls a part of Yemen, say their attacks are in retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza that has so far claimed the lives of some 29,000 Palestinians.
With 12% of global trade and as much as 30% of global container traffic passing through the vital waterway, their strikes have threatened to severely disrupt trade flows into Europe.
France, Germany, Italy and Belgium have so far confirmed they plan to contribute ships to the EU mission. Greece will provide a commander for its operational headquarters, Italy will provide the force commander, and France the deputy force commander.
The bloc's top diplomat Josep Borrell described the mission as "bold action to protect the commercial and security interests of the EU and the international community."
