Operation Aspides

Operation Aspides
Part of Red Sea crisis, Spillover of the Israel–Hamas war
Date19 February 2024 – present
(7 months, 1 week and 4 days)
Location
Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Yemen
Result Ongoing
Belligerents

 European Union

 Yemen (SPC)

Commanders and leaders

Unified Command
Josep Borrell
OCdr Vasileios Gryparis[1]
FCdr Commodore Massimo Bonu

National leaders
Alexander De Croo
Emmanuel Macron
Olaf Scholz
Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Giorgia Meloni

Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
Mohamed al-Atifi
Mahdi al-Mashat

Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour
Strength

1 Destroyer
1 Joint support ship
2 Frigates

Various aerial assets		 Yemen Unclear (see Houthi armed strength)
Casualties and losses

12 UAVs
1 USV

(As of 19 May 2024) [2]

Operation Aspides, also known as EUNAVFOR Aspides, is an EU military operation in response to Houthi engagements with international shipping in the Red Sea.[3] Named after the Greek word for shields, Operation Aspides—unlike the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian—is a "purely defensive" mission to increase maritime surveillance in the region, provide escort to merchant vessels, and defend against strikes.[4]

  1. ^ "Security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea: Council launches EUNAVFOR ASPIDES". www.consilium.europa.eu. Council of the European Union. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Great day for the Freedom of Navigation". European Union Naval Force - Operation Aspides. Retrieved 24 May 2024 – via Facebook.
  3. ^ "Aspides mission officially established". Agence Europe. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  4. ^ "Greece takes helm in EU naval mission in the Red Sea". hurriyetdailynews. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-27.