NYN | Reports and Analyses

The “Aspides” naval coalition, affiliated with the European Union, celebrated its first anniversary of presence in the Red Sea.

In a statement, the coalition claimed that it successfully secured the passage of over 650 commercial vessels through the strategic maritime corridor southwest of Yemen, without recording any objections or attacks against them, which indicates that the Houthi group (Ansar Allah) targeted only ships associated with Israel, according to the group’s previous statements.

The European mission came after American calls under the pretext of protecting commercial ships, while focusing primarily on protecting Israeli vessels, amid the security escalation in the Red Sea in early 2024, following the Houthi announcement to prevent the passage of Israeli or Israel-linked ships in response to the Israeli war on Gaza.

Earlier, Israeli media reported that the coalition failed to break the Houthi (Ansar Allah) blockade on Israeli ships, as the Port of Eilat suffered a near halt in commercial traffic, leading to the announcement of bankruptcy and the dismissal of thousands of workers.

For its part, the “Aspides” coalition confirmed that it would remain on its mission in the Red Sea, a move that raises concerns that the region – one of the most important global shipping routes – could turn into a wide battlefield if Israel resumes its war on Gaza.

It is worth mentioning that the Houthis have emphasized that they are monitoring Israel’s adherence to the ceasefire agreement, and their hands will remain on the trigger if Israel fails to fulfill its obligations toward the Palestinians.