All nations participating in Operation Agenor may have to provide naval and air resources to ensure the mission at sea, namely “Special Forces, Marines, Ships.”
The European Union wants to send at least three warships to the Red Sea to protect ships that have faced attacks from Houthi rebels in recent months, after the United States and the United Kingdom led a series of attacks on the Yemen-based group. Red Sea Yemen.
according to PoliticianHe says he obtained a document from the European External Action Service, which operates in the diplomatic service of the bloc, that this mission will be included in a “broader area of operations, from the Red Sea to the Gulf.” It is scheduled to be released at the end of February.
This mission, if implemented, will be launched within the scope of Operation Agenor, a joint surveillance operation led by France and consisting of eight other countries, including Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway.
As part of this process, Portugal will have to fulfill its diplomatic obligations, alongside Germany, as Commander João Fonseca Ribeiro, of the Defense and Security Observatory SEDES, explains to CNN Portugal. The expert adds that the remaining seven countries are working in the “military component” of this mission. The commander says that all countries participating in Operation Agenor may have to provide naval and air resources to ensure the mission at sea, namely “special forces, marines and ships.”
So far, 37 ships have participated in the mission, with more than 4,500 sailors and 1,100 days at sea. As for air assets, a French military patrol aircraft and an Italian unmanned aerial vehicle ensure high surveillance of the Joint Operations Area (JOA) to ensure “clear situational awareness”, referred to in the agreement. location Agnor official.
Now, the goal, according to Politico, will be to send three more warships to protect ships already in the Red Sea — one of the world's busiest waterways — that have been the target of Houthi attacks as a show of force. Support for the Palestinians since the Israeli response to the Hamas attacks on October 7. Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, attacked ships, forcing them to take long detours along the Horn of Africa.
Specifically, the European External Action Service document states that “the size and composition of the operation will be subject to additional operational planning,” but it includes, in principle, “a minimum of three anti-aircraft frigates with a multi-mission capability for a duration of at least three anti-aircraft frigates.” “. One year”.
Hence, the European Union follows the example of the United States and its allies in protecting ships in the Red Sea. In December, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Sentinel, consisting of a dedicated coalition of 20 partners.
Initially, the European Union explored the possibility of using its anti-piracy mission, Atalanta, operating in the Indian Ocean, but according to Politico, Spain opposed the idea and proposed launching a new mission.
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