BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) – The foreign ministers of the EU states have decided to start a new military operation to secure merchant shipping in the Middle East. Several EU diplomats confirmed this to the German Press Agency in Brussels on Monday. The plan for Operation Aspides involves sending European warships to the Red Sea and neighboring sea areas. These are then intended to protect merchant ships there from attacks by the militant Islamist Houthis from Yemen. The militia wants to force an end to the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, which followed the Hamas massacre in Israel, by shelling ships.
Germany wants to take part in the operation with the frigate “Hessen”. The warship with around 240 soldiers on board was sent from Wilhelmshaven to the Mediterranean on February 8th. The “Hessen” was last in a port on the Greek island of Crete. The mandate for the operation is to be decided by the Bundestag this Friday.