EU Plans to Launch a Pro-Israeli Naval Mission in the Red Sea
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has announced plans to launch a pro-Israeli naval mission in the Red Sea in a span of three weeks, that will seek to protect Israeli-linked commercial vessels.
“Not all [EU] member states will be willing to participate, but no one will obstruct … I hope that on the 17th of this month (February), the mission can be launched,” Borrell said.
He further stated that the meeting focused on “picking a lead nation,” to outline where the mission will be headquartered, who would partake in the mission and what assets will be required to carry out the operation.
France, Greece, and Italy are reportedly rooting for the lead role in the naval mission, which will be named as “Aspides” – meaning protector.
“This is the purpose: protection of the ships. Intercepting of the attacks against the ships. Not participating in any kinds of actions against the Houthis. Only blocking the attacks of the Houthis,” Borrell added.
Brussels’s entry into the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) led to a turning point of contention among several EU states, especially Spain, which vetoed the intrusion of the EU naval forces in the coalition back in 2023.
Italy and France had also initially refused joining the anti-Yemen operations, which led the US to bear the repercussions of the Pro-Israeli attacks launched against Yemen, “with minimal support from the UK.”
The Yemeni armed forces responded by launching multiple attacks on US navy ships, maintaining their stance that the attacks will persist until the Israeli Regime’s onslaught in Gaza comes to a standstill.
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