The European Union this week announced a maritime naval operation aimed at protecting its merchant ships from attacks by Yemen‘s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
Josep Borrell, the EU‘s foreign affairs chief, said Operation Aspides will ensure an EU naval presence in a region that has seen a drop in maritime traffic since the Iran-backed Houthis began their campaign in October, saying it was in support of Palestinian Hamas fighters battling Israel in the Gaza Strip.
“The European Union is responding swiftly to the necessity to restore maritime security and freedom of navigation in a highly strategic maritime corridor,” Mr. Borrell said Monday. “The operation will play a key role in safeguarding commercial and security interests, for the sake of the EU and the wider international community.”
The yearlong Operation Aspides will patrol the strategic waterway and escort vessels through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the EU said, deploying naval assets from Greece, France, Germany and Italy.
The Houthis initially claimed they were targeting only ships linked to Israel. However, several merchant vessels with no connection to Israel also were targeted. The attacks have prompted several shipping companies to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, extending travel time by 10 days to two weeks.
“Such attacks jeopardize the life of civilians on merchant and commercial vessels and constitute a breach of the freedom of the high seas and the right of transit passage in straits used for international navigation,” the EU said in a statement.
Officials with Operation Aspides will closely coordinate with Operation Atalanta, the EU‘s ongoing counter-piracy mission off the Horn of Africa and the western Indian Ocean. The EU said they also will coordinate closely with “like-minded partners” contributing to maritime security in the region.
Operation Prosperity Guardian is a U.S.-led multinational coalition that was formed in December 2023 to respond to the Houthi attacks. The U.S. and Britain have launched several missile attacks against Houthi targets in Yemen in response.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.