Italy calls on the EU to strengthen protection of ships in the Red Sea

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated that the contributions of European Union member states to the “Aspides” naval mission remain insufficient to guarantee the safe passage of merchant ships through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The “Aspides” mission was launched in 2024 with the aim of protecting commercial maritime traffic from attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, who have close ties to Iran.

Attacks on ships in the Red Sea in recent years have forced some shipping companies to avoid this route, prolonging journeys between Asia and Europe.

Crosetto made this statement after a meeting in Rome with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas. He welcomed the decision of certain member states to send additional resources and ships to the mission, but did not specify which countries were involved.

“These contributions are still not sufficient to guarantee the safe passage of merchant ships,” Crosetto said, emphasizing the need for stronger engagement from European allies.

Italy already last month called on other EU member states to increase their participation in the mission and stated that it is ready to deploy additional ships in order to avoid delays that could arise due to the slow decision-making process within the European Union.

Kallas previously stated that the “Aspides” mission would need more than 10 warships to be able to perform its function effectively. According to diplomats, six warships are currently engaged in the mission.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have made rapid advances along the Red Sea coast, further complicating navigation in the region, which also includes the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic has already sharply declined due to the conflict between the US and Iran, Reuters reports.