FLASH
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Greece formally agreed on Monday to take part in and lead the European Union's naval mission in the Red Sea to protect shipping lines from attacks by Houthi militants in Yemen.
A security committee headed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ordered the participation of a Greek frigate in the operation called "Aspides", after the Greek word for "shield", which was announced last week. The mission will be led from the naval base in Larissa, Greece, under the command of Greek Admiral Vasilios Griparis.
Greece has an important segment of commercial shipping and has been directly affected by the Houthi attacks. In the port of Piraeus, near Athens, a 12.7% decrease in terminal activities during January was announced. "We all understand that participating in this operation brings risks, significant risks," Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday during a visit to the "Hydra" frigate at a naval base near Athens.
The frigate left for the mission late on Monday. "Greece, as a maritime power with a leading role in global transport, attaches great importance to the need to preserve freedom of navigation, as well as the lives of Greeks traveling by sea," said Mr. Dendias. Germany, Italy and France will also provide naval assets for the mission, joining the Hydra frigate, while Italy will take tactical command, Greek officials said.
The German Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, visited the German frigate "Hessen", which participates in the Aspides mission, while visiting Crete last week. The ship has already moved towards the Red Sea, German authorities said. Officials in Athens have described the Aspides mission as defensive in nature, adding that Greece will not participate in US-led strikes against Houthi rebels' military targets in Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels say their drone and missile attacks on merchant ships are in response to Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza that began in October. During a parliamentary committee hearing last week, Mr Dendias said that keeping trade lines open at sea was an "existential necessity for Greece". "We do not take a position on the Huthi issue," Mr. Dendias told the lawmakers. "But we challenge the right of anyone to open fire on our ships, on European ships and ships sailing in the region and coming to our ports"./VOA
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