April 25, 2024. Posted by Periscope - Hellas
Threats by Yemen’s Houthis against merchant vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden remain persistent, the commander overseeing EU’s Operation Aspides told Al Arabiya English, stressing that the mission continues to be defensive in nature to protect the vital shipping routes.
“The area has seen multiple attacks in the past months, from one-way drones, saturation attempts, complex attacks including shore-, air- and sea-based assets, drones, and ballistic missiles,” Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis said in an exclusive interview.
“From the
launch of the Operation Aspides on February 19, 2024 until now, the threat
level remains the same,” he said.
The EU’s Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation Aspides is a defensive maritime
security mission that was launched earlier this year in response to drone and
missile attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on commercial, merchant and military
ships in the Red Sea since last November.
The Houthis have said that their campaign was in solidarity with Palestinians
following the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in retaliation for the Oct. 7 Hamas
attack.
Deterring Houthi threats
Aspides has engaged and deterred several Houthi attacks since its deployment to the volatile area, Gryparis said.
With a one-year mandate, the mission’s headquarters is based in Greece and has 19 EU nations contributing to it with four naval frigates deployed and over 800 personnel at sea.
“During the almost eight weeks of the operation, Aspides has achieved the close protection of 79 merchant vessels contributing to the restoration of the confidence of the shipping industry to return to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal trading routes,” Gryparis said.
The operation commander also revealed that the task force has shot down nine unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and destroyed an unmanned surface vessel (USV), as well as 4 anti-ship ballistic missiles.
Anti-ship ballistic missiles were utilized by the Houthis for the first time in modern history, according to US officials.
Gryparis explained that the mission had been able to protect 100 percent of all requests made by shipping companies to the Maritime Security Center, which acts as the clearing house.
The
operation gives priority to shipping that is in the interest of the EU and its
member states.
Gryparis noted that this can mean vessels carrying an EU member state flag,
crews of their nationality, or directed to an EU member state, which may have a
different flag too.
“If there would be a need to make choices, the Force Commander is in charge to
decide how to organize the protection of merchant vessels and prioritize
accordingly based on the situation in the area at that point in time and
location of our assets,” he said.
Militarization of the Red Sea?
Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping through the Suez Canal, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around the southern tip of the African continent.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said during a joint news conference with Gryparis, earlier this month, that redirecting maritime traffic around the Cape of Good Hope has extended the traveling journey while also increasing expenses and insurance shipping costs.
“This is 10 to 14 days more of traveling [per journey],” Borrell said.
EU
Spokesperson Peter Stano told Al Arabiya English that the EU had no intention
of militarizing the Red Sea and that Aspides was EU’s response to the
deteriorating situation in the Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden caused by
illegal attacks by Houthis.
“It is not a step towards ‘militarization’ of the Red Sea. It is a defensive
operation to reinstate freedom of navigation and safety for commercial traffic
in the Red Sea, which are currently being undermined by the illegal actions of
Houthis, condemned by the UN and wide international community,” Stano said.
Borrell has unscored on multiple occasions that the mission doesn’t have plans
to be involved in attacks on Yemeni soil and that it only enjoys a defensive
mandate to protect ships. Any change to this mandate would require a decision
by the EU members states, Stano said, noting that no such discussion is ongoing
nor is one in the making.
Operation Prosperity Guardian
The deteriorating situation in the Red Sea also prompted the US alongside
Britain and different countries to act.
There have been some strikes carried out by the US alone or alongside the UK,
which are separate from Operation Prosperity Guardian.
“Our operation has a defensive mandate. It has a clear distinct mandate from
the actions of the US, UK and other partners in the region,” Gryparis said when
asked why the EU mission didn’t join the US-led efforts.
Nevertheless,
the EU operation commander said that Aspides can be “seen as complementary” to
Prosperity Guardian and that coordination is ongoing to avoid any incidents of
friendly fire.
“For instance, and as planned, Aspides exchanges information with Prosperity
Guardian on maritime situational awareness on a daily basis,” Gryparis said.
A US military official previously told Al Arabiya English that the two sides
were routinely meeting and exchanging information on their whereabouts and
operations.
It is yet to be determined whether Aspides’ mandate will be extended after its
one year mark. This is a decision that the EU member states have to make after
evaluating the situation in the region, Stano explained.
“It is not possible to evaluate now what the situation will be in [a year’s
time]. We can only recall what was already stated by the High Representative
during the Aspides press conference that ‘we hope it will be as short as
possible’,” he added
Al Arabiya