On Monday, February 19, a Red Sea naval mission was launched by the European Union to assist and protect cargo ships.
This announcement follows a series of missile attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who are threatening maritime traffic, hamper trade and drive up prices.
Ekathimerini reported that the new mission, called ASPIDES (meaning shield in Greek), will be operated in Larissa, Central Greece, which is home to the Hellenic Air Force and a NATO headquarters.
It will operate under the command of Greek Commodore Vasilios Griparis.
Despite the US and British forces gifting back at the Houthis by bombing multiple targets, the new Red Sea mission will not take part in any military strikes.
The EU launched a new maritime operation in the Red Sea, called ASPIDES after the ancient Greek word for “shield”.
— EU Council (@EUCouncil) February 19, 2024
It will:
☑️ ensure freedom of navigation
☑️ protect commercial vessels from Houthi attacks
☑️ have a defensive nature
☑️ provide maritime situational awareness
👇
It will only operate at sea. Germany and Belgium will also contribute a frigate to the mission.
“Within its defensive mandate, the operation will provide maritime situational awareness, accompany vessels, and protect them against possible multi-domain attacks at sea,” the European Union headquarters said in a statement.
“The entire global economy is being hit. It’s not just European ships that are repeatedly jeopardized by Houthi missiles in the Red Sea, but the entire international shipping industry,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.
The German Foreign Minister said the Red Sea mission “makes it clear that we as an international community stand together in the face of attacks; terrorist attacks on the freedom of the sea lanes.”
Source: Ekathimerini.
