Houthi threats still persistent in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden: EU’s Aspides Commander

 


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.

 The US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian was launched back in January and has since been engaged in not only deterring Houthi threats, but also striking Houthi targets in Yemen in self-defense.


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