Operation Aspides

Operation Aspides
	Part of Red Sea crisis, Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)
Date	19 February 2024 – present; (2 years, 6 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)
Location	Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Yemen
Result	Ongoing
Belligerents
European Union Belgium; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Italy; Latvia; Netherlands; Sweden;	Yemen (SPC) Yemeni Navy (SPC faction); Houthis;
Commanders and leaders
Unified Command ; Kaja Kallas (2024–present); Josep Borrell (2024); OCdr Vasileios Gryparis; FCdr Commodore Michail Pantouvakis National leaders; Bart De Wever (2025–present); Alexander De Croo (2024–2025); Emmanuel Macron; Friedrich Merz (2025–present); Olaf Scholz (2024–2025); Kyriakos Mitsotakis; Giorgia Meloni	Abdul-Malik al-Houthi; Mohamed al-Atifi; Mahdi al-Mashat; Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour
Strength
1 Destroyer ; 1 Joint support ship ; 2 Frigates ; Various aerial assets	Unclear (see Houthi armed strength)
Casualties and losses
	18 UAVs ; 2 USVs ; 4 ballistic missiles intercepted ; (As of 12 February 2025)

Operation Aspides, also known as European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Aspides, is an EU military operation in response to Houthi attacks with international shipping in the Red Sea. Named after the Greek word for shields (Greek: Ασπίδες), the EU describes Operation Aspides as a "purely defensive" mission to increase maritime surveillance in the region, provide escort to merchant vessels, and defend against strikes. The mission began in February 2024 and includes two or three ships deployed at any given time.