A second Italian military ship has taken position in the waters of the Red Sea threatened by Houthi attacks. The frigate “Federico Martinengo” joined the “Virginio Fasan”, deployed in the area just before Christmas. In recent days, the Fasan was photographed by a satellite while escorting a merchant ship north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the passage most often hit by pro-Iranian militiamen.
High voltage
Tension throughout the area has reached very high levels. Two days ago the Houthis launched a swarm of bombs aimed at the American fleet: 18 drones, two cruise ships and a ballistic missile launched simultaneously from Yemeni bases. They were engaged in a long battle by two US ships and a British one, with the intervention of an F-18 jet taking off from the Eisenhower aircraft carrier. There has never been such a challenge against Western warships protecting civilian shipping. The fundamentalist movement claimed responsibility for the action, claiming that it was in retaliation for the three small boats that sank last week while trying to board a cargo ship.
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The European mission Atlanta
The two Italian frigates do not operate under the command of the international coalition led by the USA but within the framework of the European mission Atlanta, created to counter the Somali pirates who have infested those waters for decades: a phenomenon that seemed extinct but which has regained energy in recent weeks in the wake of the Houthi raids. They will remain on patrol together for a short period, then the “Fasan” – which had been in the Eastern Mediterranean since the end of October due to the Gaza crisis – will return home. At this moment there are around 260 soldiers present in the Red Sea: according to the ItaMilRadar website, the “Martinengo” is located north of Bab el-Mandeb and the “Fasan” to the south, in order to protect the movements of container ships and oil tankers. Although both are of the Fremm class, the most advanced in the world, the “Martinengo” is equipped with more powerful armament against naval and air threats. The key tools are the Aster surface-to-air missiles, capable of intercepting the drones and cruises used by the Yemeni militias, and the on-board helicopter which can act quickly to foil incursions conducted by the guerrillas’ fast assault motorboats.
The Italian Navy is expected to take over the European mission next month, hosting the general staff on board. It is not excluded that – if the situation does not calm down – at that point a larger unit could be sent or the deployment strengthened. Our armed forces also have a stable base in Djibouti, which contributes to supplies and the movement of personnel.