Huthi rebels - US deployment in the Red Sea - EU prepares support
The EU is preparing to participate in the US initiative to secure merchant shipping in the Red Sea. According to the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has made a proposal on how the mandate of the existing anti-piracy operation Atalanta could be extended for this purpose. It is currently being examined by the 27 EU member states and should be formalized as soon as possible.
At an EU meeting on Thursday, only Spain had reservations about changing the mandate, according to diplomats. In Brussels, it is hoped that this is due to internal political differences in Madrid, which can be resolved quickly.
The "Prosperity Guardian" operation launched by the USA aims to significantly increase the international military presence in the Red Sea.
The background to this is that Iran-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked ships there to prevent them from sailing towards Israel. The aim of the Houthis is to force an end to the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Germany wants EU mandate for participation
Several EU states have already pledged bilateral support for the US initiative. However, Spain and Germany, among others, want an EU mandate for participation.
According to EU diplomats, the new mandate should make it possible for warships from EU states to take part in monitoring the Red Sea. It is also conceivable that merchant ships could be accompanied by naval units equipped with defense systems against missiles and threats. However, it is unlikely that the EU will be involved in proactive military operations against Houthi rebels.
The mission of the EU's anti-piracy operation Atalanta is to deter and combat pirates off the coast of Somalia and enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to the crisis country. The Bundeswehr was involved in the operation until spring 2022. It is currently being supported in particular by forces from Spain.
The Spanish Ministry of Defense in Madrid recently stated that whether Spain would take part would depend on decisions made by the EU and NATO. Military officials pointed out that the continuation of the anti-piracy operation in the Indian Ocean is also important, as there have been several attacks recently.
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Source: www.stern.de
