The EU extends the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES mission in the Red Sea to February 28, 2024, despite a reduced annual budget for maritime security.
The European Union has decided to extend the duration of the maritime security operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, aimed at protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, until February 28 of next year, despite a lower annual budget.
In a statement, it was noted, 'This decision reflects the EU's ongoing commitment to maritime security, regional stability, and the protection of global trade flows.'
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES was launched by the EU as a defensive operation in February 2024 in response to the crisis in the Red Sea following repeated Houthi attacks on international shipping traffic since October 2023. Although there have been no Houthi attacks this year, tensions between Iran, the Houthis' primary supporter, and the United States have recently brought the crisis in shipping traffic in the Red Sea back to the forefront.
In a related report, maritime security expert Dryad Global indicated that the ongoing Iranian military exercises are directly linked to an increased risk of GPS signal jamming and AIS spoofing in commercial maritime traffic in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
