On 14 February, the European Council decided to extend the mandate of the EU maritime security operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES until 28 February 2026.
As stated, the Council decided to prolong the mandate of the EU maritime security operation to safeguard freedom of navigation in relation to the Red sea crisis (EUNAVFOR ASPIDES) until 28 February 2026 with a reference amount of over €17 million for the period. The decision was taken following the strategic review of the operation.
Furthermore, the Council decided that in order to ensure maritime situation awareness in the area of operation, Operation ASPIDES should be able to collect information, in addition to data necessary to protect vessels, on arms trafficking and on shadow fleets with a view to sharing this information with:
- member states
- the European Commission
- the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
- the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL)
- the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL)
- and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES was established in February 2024 as a defensive maritime security operation with the objective of restoring and safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf. The operation is active along the main sea lines of communication in the Baab al-Mandab Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as international waters in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf
It ensures an EU naval presence in the area where numerous Houthi attacks have targeted international commercial vessels since October 2023.
The Operation is headquartered in Larissa, Greece, and headed by Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis.
The extension of the operation comes after Yemen’s Houthis recent threat to escalate attacks on Israel if Israel resumes its assault on Gaza and does not commit to a ceasefire deal.
