The European Union is set to launch a full naval mission to the Red Sea next month to stop Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists from launching attacks against cargo ships.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday that the fleet, which will be comprised of assets from at least seven European nations, will head toward the Red Sea within the next three weeks.
“This is the purpose: protection of the ships,” Borrell told reporters in Brussels. “Intercepting of the attacks against the ships. Not participating in any kind of action against the Houthis. Only blocking the attacks of the Houthis.”
The three nations that are reportedly vying to lead the operation are France, Italy, and Greece, according to the Associated Press.
“Many European firms asked us to do that because their business model is suffering a lot due to the high increase in cost and having to go down to South Africa,” he said, referring to the alternative route that commercial ships are taking. “It’s affecting prices, it’s affecting inflation. So, it’s a natural endeavor for us to try to avoid this risk.”
Houthi terrorists based in Yemen have launched more than 30 missile and drone attacks against cargo ships and tankers in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November, VOA reported. They hijacked a massive cargo ship when they first started their attacks.
The attacks have caused severe disruptions to global trade as thousands of ships have been forced to find alternative routes.
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The Houthis are just one of several major Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the region that are carrying out Iran’s agenda of killing Americans and attacking Israel.
Other major Iranian-backed terrorist groups include Hamas inside Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Islamic Resistance in Iraq, and more.