European Council launches new maritime security initiative

The European Council has launched a new defensive maritime security operation with the objective of restoring and safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

Launched on Monday, February 19, Operation ASPIDES will ensure an EU naval presence in the area where numerous attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have targeted international commercial vessels since October 2023.

The council said that, in close cooperation with international partners, ASPIDES will contribute to safeguard maritime security and ensure freedom of navigation, especially for merchant and commercial vessels. Within its defensive mandate, the operation will provide maritime situational awareness, accompany vessels, and protect these against possible multi-domain attacks at sea.

The operation will be active along the main sea lines of communication in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as international waters in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf.

Operation ASPIDES will coordinate closely with the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA to contribute to maritime security in the West Indian Ocean and in the Red Sea as well as with like-minded partners contributing to maritime security in its area of operation.