BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥 The commander of a European Union naval mission in the Red Sea wants to significantly increase its size to better defend against possible attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen, as just four warships are patrolling an area twice the size of the 27-nation bloc.
The EU mission 鈥 dubbed Aspides, from the Greek for 鈥渟hield鈥 鈥 has escorted 68 ships and repelled 11 attacks since less than two months ago. It only defends civilian vessels and does not take part in any military strikes. The southern part of the Red Sea is deemed a high-risk zone.
鈥淛ust a single transit of one of our ships between the two larger distances to the area might take about 10 days, and also to cross the high-risk area takes almost two days,鈥 Greek navy Rear Admiral Vasilios Gryparis, the commander of the mission, told reporters in Brussels on Monday.
He said the high-risk zone 鈥渉as seen multiple attacks in the past months鈥 ranging from threats and intimidation to 鈥渃omplex attacks鈥 using 鈥渟hore, air and sea-based assets, drones and ballistic missiles.鈥 No one has been hurt.
Nineteen of the 27 EU nations are involved in the mission but only four frigates are patrolling.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which control much of Yemen鈥檚 north and west, launched a campaign of drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in November. They have also fired missiles toward Israel, although those have largely fallen short or been intercepted.
The attacks have hit maritime trade to Egypt and Europe, with only around half the usual number of ships moving through the area. It鈥檚 added up to two weeks of transit time for vessels that want to avoid the Suez Canal, hiking transport costs and shipping insurance.
The rebels have described their campaign as an effort to pressure in the Gaza Strip. The ships targeted by the Houthis, however, largely have had little or no connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war.
Their campaign has continued despite more than two months of U.S.-led .
The EU mission also remains 鈥渧ery vigilant鈥 for any spike in attacks following last week鈥檚 , which destroyed Iran鈥檚 consulate in Syria, killing 12 people, including two elite Iranian generals, Gryparis said. Top Iranian officials have promised to retaliate.
鈥淲e call on Iran to show restraint and to use its influence to avoid escalation, and in particular, with relation to the Houthis,鈥 EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said, but he added: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think Iran has full control (of) the Houthi decision-making. They have become quite autonomous.鈥
