EU foreign ministers approve deployment of Red Sea naval mission
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European Union foreign ministers have granted final approval for a naval mission aimed at safeguarding international shipping in the Red Sea area.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, expressed approval of the decision on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying that “Europe is committed to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, collaborating with our international partners. Beyond crisis response, this marks a significant move towards a more robust European maritime presence to protect our interests.”
The EU-led mission, named Aspides, derived from the ancient Greek word for shield, will deploy three European warships and airborne early warning systems to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and nearby waters. This initiative responds to escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, who have been conducting missile and drone assaults in the crucial shipping corridor.
The heightened attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis followed Israel’s conflict in Gaza against Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization by the EU, the US, and several other governments. The most recent incident occurred on Monday, targeting a Belize-flagged, UK-registered cargo vessel in the Bab-al-Mandab Strait off Yemen’s coast. The vessel, at risk of sinking according to the Houthis, prompted the crew to abandon ship.
These attacks have disrupted global shipping, compelling shipping companies to choose longer and more expensive routes around southern Africa. EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni reported that the rerouting of shipping through the Red Sea has led to a 10-15 day increase in delivery times for shipments between Asia and the EU, with shipment costs rising by approximately 400%.
The German frigate “Hessen,” with about 240 personnel on board, has been deployed for the mission and set sail to the region over 10 days ago. According to the German government, the EU operation covers strategic areas including the Strait of Bab al-Mandab, the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf.
