Critics have been accusing the EU of being a toothless tiger militarily for years. The current plans for a naval operation in the Red Sea should reinforce their view.
The current plans for the EU military operation to secure commercial shipping in the Red Sea do not include a mandate for participation in US attacks against Houthi positions in Yemen.
As several diplomats in Brussels confirmed, the mission will initially be purely defensive. European warships would therefore only be used as part of the EU mission to protect cargo ships in the region. The use of weapons would only be possible to ward off attacks on merchant ships or for self-defense.
According to government sources, Germany wants to take part in the military operation with the frigate “Hessen” – provided that the Bundestag issues a corresponding mandate after the EU plans have been completed. The ship is equipped, among other things, with SM2 anti-aircraft missiles and was specifically designed for escort and maritime control. According to the Bundeswehr, its SMART-L radar can monitor airspace the size of the entire North Sea.
EU operations are scheduled to start in February
According to current plans, the EU military operation should be decided at a meeting of foreign ministers in February at the latest and then launched immediately. The ancient Greek word “Aspis” (protective shield) is being discussed as a possible name for the mission.
An EU operation to secure merchant shipping in the Red Sea has been discussed for weeks. The background is that since the outbreak of the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas, ships have been repeatedly attacked by the Houthi militia, which wants to force an end to the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.
In view of the dangers, increasingly large shipping companies are avoiding the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. This now has a significant impact on the global economy. The USA and Great Britain have recently proactively attacked targets of the militant Islamist Houthis in Yemen.
EU plan had to be changed
The EU’s original plan was to simply expand the mandate of the existing anti-piracy operation “Atalanta” in the Indian Ocean to support the US initiative. However, this plan failed due to resistance from Spain, which is currently the lead nation in Operation Atalanta.
The reason for the veto was a dispute within the Spanish government coalition over the country’s participation in military operations in the Red Sea. Leftists in particular sympathize with the desire to persuade Israel to stop military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
