April 28, 2026 - Named after the Greek word for shields (Greek: Ασπίδες), Operation Aspides—unlike the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian—is a "purely defensive" mission to increase maritime surveillance in the region, provide escort to merchant vessels, and defend against strikes.

EUNAVFOR ASPIDES is an EU military operation contributing to the protection of freedom of navigation, to safeguarding maritime security, especially for merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf under the EU Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP). The EUNAVFOR

On February 2025, EU Council decided to prolong the mandate of the operation until 28 February 2026. ASPIDES’ mandate is clear and comprehensive. At its core, the mission aims to contribute to Freedom of Navigation, enhance maritime security, and promote stability in the region.

March 16, 2026 - Aspides currently has three objectives: escort vessels, maintain maritime situational awareness and protect ships from multi-domain threats at sea. More specifically, Aspides protects shipping targeted by attacks at sea or from air, but does ...

February 16, 2024 - February 19 marks the launch of European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Aspides, a new maritime mission organized to address growing instability in the Red Sea and complement ongoing U.S.-led operations in the area.

March 7, 2024 - The EU operation, called EUNAVFOR Aspides (the ancient Greek word for “shields”), has initial contributions from seven member states: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Spain. It is headquartered in Greece, while Italy is in charge of its operations. Already, four multipurpose frigates are part of the mission: one each from France, Germany, Italy, and Greece.

March 15, 2026 - Aspides is an EU naval operation launched in the Red Sea in response to Houthi attacks on international shipping in February 2024.

March 20, 2025 - ASPIDES’ mandate is clear and ... core, the mission contributes to freedom of navigation, enhances maritime security, and facilitates the de-escalation of tensions within its vast area of operation....

April 7, 2026 - The mission’s objectives were to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation, escort and protect vessels, and enhance maritime situational awareness in the Red Sea. From this perspective, Aspides achieved notable operational and tactical results, yet did not fully accomplish its stated goals, ...

February 23, 2026 - The operation contributes to ... Operation ASPIDES provides defensive maritime security, protects vessels and supports stability along key maritime routes in accordance with international law....

On February 2025, EU Council decided to prolong the mandate of the operation until 28 February 2026. ASPIDES’ mandate is clear and comprehensive. At its core, the mission aims to contribute to Freedom of Navigation, enhance maritime security, and promote stability in the region.

March 30, 2026 - EUNAVFOR warship escorts a CMA CGM containership in the Red Sea as part of the EU's Operation ASPIDES.

The Bundeswehr has been participating in Operation EUNAVFOR Aspides since 23 February 2024, with its main focus on the Red Sea.

April 5, 2025 - Mission Aspides is a European Union (EU) naval mission to protect cargo ships in the Red Sea from attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

February 17, 2025 - 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 ...

March 30, 2026 - The EU naval mission, designed to defend and escort civilian commercial vessels, will from now on also be responsible for gathering and sharing information on suspicious activities relating to critical subsea infrastructure, and contributing ...

May 2, 2025 - The name Aspides, which means “shields” in Greek, denotes the operation’s underlying defensive nature. The EU naval mission, carried out under its Common Security and Defense Policy, underscores how ensuring maritime security and maintaining the stability of global supply chains are front and center in the EU’s defense and trade strategic calculus.

March 16, 2026 - The EU’s Aspides mission was established in 2024 to protect ships from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebel group in the Red Sea. It currently has an Italian and a Greek ship under its direct command.

February 26, 2026 - On January 31, at a meeting of EU defense ministers, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell formally introduced Aspides, a new navy mission that will “participate in escorting the merchants’ ships in the Red Sea facing the attacks by the Houthis.” Launched on February 19, the mission will not engage in military strikes against the Houthis, according to Borrell.