EU considers enhancing naval mission in the Middle East

European Union foreign ministers will meet to discuss enhancing the Aspides naval mission, aimed at protecting vessels from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, but are unlikely to extend its operations to the Strait of Hormuz. With Iran’s actions threatening global oil supply routes, discussions may focus on increasing member state contributions to the mission. However, skepticism remains regarding the mission’s effectiveness and the complexity of changing its mandate, which requires unanimous approval from all EU member states.

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