Today the Council of the European Union approved the extension until 28 February 2027 of the mandate of the EuNavFor mission Aspides, the maritime security operation launched two years ago to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Mar region Red where the Houthi militiamen had begun to attack the ships in transit.

As part of the extension, the Council agreed on an amount of almost €15 million to cover common costs of the transaction for the period from March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2026 2027. A further strategic review of the transaction will be conducted in 2026/2027.

If the last attack by the Houthis dates back to last September a ship, which had caused one death and one wounded among the members of the crew of the Minervagracht, however, the militiamen In recent weeks they had threatened a resumption of assaults in the case of military actions conducted by the US and its allies in the Middle East region.