Kallas: EU Red Sea Mission Needs More Than 10 Warships

The European Union’s Aspides naval mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea needs to expand to more than 10 warships, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said. Diplomats put the current deployment in the region at six warships.

The EU launched Aspides in 2024 to protect shipping from attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis. In recent weeks, the Houthis have made rapid advances along the Red Sea coast, further complicating shipping routes in the region.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had already declined as a result of the war between the United States and Iran.

Kallas warned that the attacks were harming European interests, the global economy and supply chains. She said the operation needed more naval and air assets to deal with the increased threat.

In a letter dated 19 September, Kallas called on all 27 EU member states to increase their contributions. Defense and foreign ministers are expected to discuss the issue at upcoming meetings.

Italy, one of the mission’s main participants, is already preparing its own naval operation to protect its ships, saying it cannot wait for the EU to respond to the new crisis. While the Houthis maintain that they intend to target only Saudi-linked interests, Kallas warned that their next steps remain uncertain.

(Reuters, bak)