Operation Aspides

Operation Aspides
	Part of Red Sea crisis, Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)
Date	19 February 2024 – present; (10 months and 6 days)
Location	Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Yemen
Result	Ongoing
Belligerents
European Union Belgium; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Italy; Latvia; Netherlands; Sweden;	Yemen (SPC) Yemeni Navy (SPC faction); Houthis;
Commanders and leaders
Unified Command ; Josep Borrell; OCdr Vasileios Gryparis; FCdr Commodore Massimo Bonu National leaders; Alexander De Croo; Emmanuel Macron; Olaf Scholz; Kyriakos Mitsotakis; Giorgia Meloni;	Abdul-Malik al-Houthi; Mohamed al-Atifi; Mahdi al-Mashat; Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour
Strength
1 Destroyer ; 1 Joint support ship ; 2 Frigates ; Various aerial assets	Unclear (see Houthi armed strength)
Casualties and losses
	12 UAVs ; 1 USV ; (As of 19 May 2024)

Operation Aspides, also known as EUNAVFOR Aspides, is an EU military operation in response to Houthi engagements with international shipping in the Red Sea.^[3] Named after the Greek word for shields (greek: Ασπίδες), Operation Aspides—unlike the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian—is a "purely defensive" mission to increase maritime surveillance in the region, provide escort to merchant vessels, and defend against strikes.^[4]

^ "Security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea: Council launches EUNAVFOR ASPIDES". www.consilium.europa.eu. Council of the European Union. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
^ "Great day for the Freedom of Navigation". European Union Naval Force - Operation Aspides. Retrieved 24 May 2024 – via Facebook.
^ "Aspides mission officially established". Agence Europe. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
^ "Greece takes helm in EU naval mission in the Red Sea". hurriyetdailynews. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[councilaspidespress-1] "Security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea: Council launches EUNAVFOR ASPIDES". www.consilium.europa.eu. Council of the European Union. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

[2] "Great day for the Freedom of Navigation". European Union Naval Force - Operation Aspides. Retrieved 24 May 2024 – via Facebook.

[3] "Aspides mission officially established". Agence Europe. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-18.

[4] "Greece takes helm in EU naval mission in the Red Sea". hurriyetdailynews. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

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