Follow-ups – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:

The European Union’s maritime operation “Aspides,” tasked with safeguarding navigation in the Red Sea, witnessed a new development with the withdrawal of the Italian destroyer “Andrea Doria” from the region.

This withdrawal, coming shortly after its involvement in the operation, sheds light on the growing challenges facing the European mission amidst escalating tensions in the area.

In an official statement, the leadership of Operation “Aspides” expressed gratitude for the significant role played by the Italian destroyer during its presence in the region, praising its contributions to enhancing maritime security and protecting commercial navigation.

Increasing Challenges Facing the European Operation:

Since its launch in February, Operation “Aspides” has faced significant challenges, most notably the shortage of participating warships. In addition to the Italian withdrawal, the operation has seen previous withdrawals of frigates from other European countries for various reasons, including being attacked or technical failures.

Undoubtedly, this resource shortage, coupled with the escalating frequency of attacks on commercial ships in the region, has weakened the operation’s ability to achieve its objectives. The failure of Operation “Aspides” to protect the ship “Sounion” in August, which was hijacked and exploded, is a clear testament to this.

Implications of the Italian Withdrawal:

There is Western concern that the withdrawal of the Italian destroyer could worsen the security situation in the Red Sea, increasing the vulnerability of Israeli ships and those associated with them to attacks. It also puts the European Union under increasing pressure to provide more effective solutions to protect these vessels in this vital region.

Future Prospects:

Amidst these significant developments, Operation “Aspides” is seeking to reassess its strategies and enhance its capabilities to confront the growing challenges. It is expected that the coming period will witness more pressure on the European Union to urge member states to increase their contributions to this operation.

In conclusion, the withdrawal of the Italian destroyer from Operation “Aspides” represents a new blow to this European mission and raises questions about the European Union’s ability to play an effective role in ensuring maritime security of the occupation and its affiliates in the Red Sea region.

Abdulrazzaq Ali / Arab Journal