EU Extends Aspides Freedom of Navigation Mission in the Red Sea to 2026

The Council of the European Union confirmed on Friday, February 14, the decision to extend the mandate of the EU maritime security operation in the Red Sea and surrounding areas for another year. After a strategic review of EUNAVFOR Aspides and its results, the council extended the mission till February 28, 2026, with an anticipated cost of over €17 million ($17.8 million).

Aspides was launched on February 8, 2024, as a defensive mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea, including the Bab al-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden as well as a broader reach to the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Strait of Hormuz. The EU set it up to protect shipping but did authorize it to return hostile fire compared to the U.S…