The bloc’s ‘Operation Aspides’ already operates in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the north-west Indian Ocean
The EU may expand its existing Red Sea naval mission to the Strait of Hormuz, taking the lead role in mine-clearing operations in the strategic shipping route, according to media reports citing an internal document.
The bloc’s ‘Operation Aspides,’ launched in February 2024, patrols the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and northwest Indian Ocean, escorting commercial vessels and helping to protect shipping from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants.
The proposal would see Aspides assume the “primary role” in mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, complementing efforts by an ad hoc French-British coalition, according to a document circulated by the EU’s diplomatic service under foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Any expansion of the mission would require unanimous backing from all 27 member states.
The Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast – a key route for global oil and LNG supplies – has been central to Middle East tensions since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February. Maritime traffic through the waterway has been heavily disrupted, with Washington and Tehran accusing each other of violating a fragile ceasefire reached in April.
Brussels has previously rejected US President Donald Trump’s demand to help secure the strait. Kallas said the EU had “no appetite” to expand Operation Aspides and insisted that “this is not Europe’s war.”
Trump has for weeks slammed his European NATO allies for not joining the war and hinted that the US could leave the military bloc as a result. The UK and France later announced that they would launch a “multi-national mission to protect freedom of navigation as soon as conditions allow.”
The US and Iran exchanged missile strikes again this week after threatening to undermine the ceasefire. Negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and the status of Hormuz remain stalled.
The Middle East conflict has further exacerbated a critical energy situation in European states, which had already drastically cut Russian imports since the 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Gas markets have experienced significant volatility amid uncertainty surrounding shipping through Hormuz. Several officials across the EU have already called for restoring energy ties with Russia to tackle the crisis.
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