ANKARA

Seeking to counter a series of attacks on sea lanes by Yemeni Houthis, the European Union on Monday launched a new naval escort and protection operation in the Red Sea, according to an official statement.

"Operation ASPIDES will ensure an EU naval presence in the area where numerous Houthi attacks have targeted international commercial vessels since October 2023," an EU Council statement read.

The EU and its "like-minded" international partners will work to ensure "freedom of navigation, especially for merchant and commercial vessels."

The defensive operation seeks to accompany vessels and protect them "against possible multi-domain attacks at sea."

The forces will be deployed “along the main sea lines of communication in the Baab al-Mandab Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as international waters in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf,” the statement explained.

The operation will be headquartered in Greece.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell had announced the mission late last month.

The Houthis have been targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea, particularly those bound for Israel, since last fall. They say the attacks aim to pressure Israel to halt its deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip.

That prompted the US and UK to launch retaliatory airstrikes against targets inside Yemen.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.