European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the EU is set to launch a full naval mission in the Red Sea by mid-February to protect cargo ships from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have been attacking commercial ships with drones and missiles in response to Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas since October.
Borrell announced on Wednesday that the fleet will depart in three weeks, with ships and aircraft from seven European countries ready to defend the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.
"This is the purpose: protection of the ships. Intercepting of the attacks against the ships," Borrell told reporters before an EU meeting in Brussels. Borrell noted that the naval fleet would not fight the Houthis directly but would simply protect the cargo ships passing through the Red Sea.
France, Greece, and Italy are fighting to lead the naval operation against the Houthi attacks.
Furthermore, Borell demanded that security measures be increased as it claimed that Iran-backed militants had hampered companies that transport goods through the Red Sea.
He said that many European firms asked them to do the same because their business model has been suffering a lot due to the high increase in cost and having to go down to South Africa. He added that it was affecting prices, so it is natural for them to try to avoid this risk.
The move from the EU came as the US intercepted a second Houthi missile strike aimed at US sites on Wednesday.
US Shoots Down Houthi Missile in Yemen
According to Central Command, the US destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile in Yemen that was ready to take off and posed "an imminent threat to US aircraft operating in the region."
On Tuesday night, the US intercepted another anti-ship cruise missile that targeted the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. Central Command reported the attack did not result in any injuries or damage to the ship.
The Houthis took credit for the strike and called it a victory for the oppression of the Palestinian people and a response to the American-British aggression against their country.
The terror group appeared to be alluding to the coordinated attacks by the US and UK targeting Houthi bases in Yemen to hinder their assaults in the Red Sea.
The Houthi commander Muhammad al-Attifi claimed that all of Yemen would be prepared for war, and the Iran-backed terror group was delighted at the idea of fighting the US and its allies.
Al-Attifi said earlier this week that they are prepared for a long-term confrontation with the forces of tyranny.
"The Americans, the British, and those who coordinated with them must realize the power of the sovereign Yemeni decision and that there is no debate or dispute over it," he added.
Related Article : US Warship Shoots Down Another Missile Fired by Houthis Over Red Sea
