DThe planned EU military mission to protect merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden against attacks by the Houthi militia is taking shape. This Monday, the EU foreign ministers will discuss this in Brussels as part of a detailed meeting on the Middle East conflict, but the states have already reached an agreement in principle. Last week, the EU's Political and Security Committee, in which each state is represented by its own ambassador, spoke out in favor of a concept presented by Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell. After Germany, Belgium also announced on Friday the prospect of a frigate that can fight air targets. The Netherlands is thinking “very seriously” about getting involved, an EU diplomat said.
This would enable the EU states to fulfill the central requirement of Borrell's concept. According to this, “at least three air defense destroyers or frigates with capabilities for multiple missions for at least one year” should be deployed under EU command and with an “executive mandate”.
This means that the ships not only patrol the operational area and accompany merchant ships, but that they are also allowed to use military force to destroy incoming missiles and drones or attacking ships. The Houthi militia, which controls the western part of Yemen, has repeatedly attacked civilian ships from there, which it assumes have “pro-Israel interests”; She wants to force an end to the war in Gaza.
A narrower mandate than that of the United States
However, the EU mandate is said to be narrower than that of the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian, which was launched in mid-December and has now carried out retaliatory strikes against the attackers twice. A Foreign Office spokesman said on Friday that “striking Houthi positions on land is not part of the discussions in Brussels,” diplomats confirmed this. Nor is there any thought given to intercepting rockets fired at Israel. This is due to the reduced European capabilities, but also to the fact that the EU states are divided in the Middle East conflict.
Germany was the first country to venture out of cover and offer the participation of a class 124 frigate, which is designed for aerial reconnaissance and anti-aircraft defense in ship formations. One of the three naval ships – probably the frigate Hessen – could soon be relocated to the eastern Mediterranean in order to then be placed under the new mission, as can be heard in Brussels. Their mandate should be decided by February 19th at the latest, when the foreign ministers meet again.
By EU standards that would be quick. The prerequisite is a mandate from the Bundestag. On Friday, the cabinet agreed to send the frigate Louise-Marie to Belgium. Both countries, together with the Netherlands, have the largest seaports in Europe and are therefore particularly interested in keeping the short sea route across the Red Sea to Europe open. It is expected that other countries such as France, Italy and Greece will take part in the operation, with naval capabilities but also with aircraft and drones.
Operation Agenor as a model
The mission, as proposed by Borrell, would build on Agenor, the European monitoring mission in the Strait of Hormuz, which was created four years ago. This operation secures shipping traffic in the strait between Oman and Iran after Iran attacked several tankers on the key route for oil trade. It was set up outside the EU framework and is under French leadership.
Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway are also involved, and Germany and Portugal are providing diplomatic support. This mandate is now to be transferred to EU structures and extended to the maritime area off the Yemeni coast, with which France fundamentally agrees. The exact area of operation has not yet been determined. Norway should be allowed to participate as a third country. The mission will work with Prosperity Guardian, which involves five EU states, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and other states.
Borrell had originally planned to expand the EU naval mission Atalanta, which has been protecting merchant ships in the Horn of Africa against piracy since 2008. However, Spain, which is leading this operation, did not agree to this. The reason for this was internal disputes in the Spanish government. Forces very critical of Israel did not want to support a mission to protect commercial interests while the war in Gaza continued. Spain abstained from the EU's fundamental decision last week; it does not want to send its own forces.
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