Berlin, Vienna open to boosting EU's Red Sea mission against Houthis

Germany and Austria are open to reinforcing the European Union's mission in the Red Sea amid increased attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on shipping.

"The European Union's Operation Aspides has achieved rapid success in a difficult environment" said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at a meeting in Vienna on Thursday with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar and Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger.

It was now up to military advisers to "provide guidance" on whether the mission "needs to be strengthened or adjusted," Wadephul added.

The recent attacks by the Houthis on commercial ships show that an ally of Iran continues to significantly disrupt civilian shipping without any justification, endangering the lives of innocent sailors, the minister said.

"We condemn this in the strongest terms and expect Iran to use its influence on the Houthis to put an end to this," Wadephul stressed.

Meinl-Reisinger added that the safety of passage through the Red Sea was in Europe's best interests.

She said she was "very open to discussion on the extent to which" the EU mission should be "strengthened or adapted."

The EU's Operation Aspides was formally established in February 2024 "to safeguard freedom of navigation" after the Iran-backed Houthi rebels began attacking vessels in the Red Sea with alleged links to Israel.

The movement says its attacks are in solidarity with Palestinian extremist group Hamas in Gaza.

Crew members were killed in Houthi attacks on two commercial vessels in the Red Sea earlier this week, with both cargo ships sinking as a result.