European Union launches naval task force to protect Red Sea ship traffic from Houthi attacks

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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 EU said 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. They also will work with “like-minded partners” that contribute to regional maritime security, a likely reference to Operation Prosperity Guardian, the U.S.-led multinational coalition formed in December 2023 to respond to Houthi attacks on merchant ships.

On Tuesday, Defense Department officials said they don’t consider Operation Aspides to be an indication of European discontent with their efforts.

“We certainly welcome that new coalition. We’re all working towards the same goal here, which is to ensure that innocent commercial shipping can get through the Red Sea,” said Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman. 

The Houthis initially claimed they were targeting only ships linked to Israel. However,  merchant vessels with no connection to Israel have also been targeted. The attacks 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.

Houthi attacks in the Red Sea picked up over the long Presidents’ Day weekend. On Monday, the Yemeni fighters fired anti-ship ballistic missiles at the “Sea Champion,” a Greek-flagged but U.S.-owned grain carrier in the Gulf of Aden. They also launched an attack drone that struck the “Navis Fortuna,” a U.S. bulk carrier that sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands. Both vessels sustained minor damage but were able to proceed to their destinations, officials said.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon confirmed that a U.S. MQ-9 drone went down the day before off the coast of Houthi-controlled Yemen. 

“Initial indications are that it was shot down by a Houthi surface-to-air missile,” Ms. Singh said. 

She couldn’t confirm reports that the Houthis were able to recover the wreckage of the downed drone, but noted that their weapons are becoming more sophisticated.

“We know that Iran is continuing to supply them with what they need,” Ms. Singh said.