European Union Approves Deployment of Naval Mission in the Red Sea

Today, the Council of Europe launched EUNAVFOR ASPIDES. European Union Foreign Ministers have endorsed the deployment of an EU naval mission to protect ships from Houthis in the Red Sea.  The aim of this defensive maritime operation is to restore and protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, said Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

This decision was welcomed by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on social network X.   

"I welcome today's decision to launch the EU Naval Force Aspides operation. Europe will ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, working together with our international partners. In addition to responding to the crisis, this is a step towards strengthening the European presence at sea to protect our European interests," the EC President wrote.

As The Gaze previously reported, in January, the European Joint Military Mission Aspides was launched in the Red Sea, involving most EU countries. The name of the mission, Aspides, means "shield" in ancient Greek. The European mission will cooperate with the Anglo-American organisation Prosperity Guardian.

This European mission in the Red Sea is being launched to protect merchant ships from Yemeni terrorists, the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have attacked ships and commercial cargo from various countries delivering goods to Europe dozens of times with missiles and drones.

The hostilities in the Red Sea are the result of a war launched by Palestinian terrorists Hamas against Israel on 7 October 2023 with a massive missile and armed attack on Israel, taking hundreds of women and children hostage, and are now expanding to include EU ships, and not only US and UK vessels, which have been repeatedly attacked by pro-Iranian Houthi militants for their support of Israel.