Brussels, February 23 (Xinhua) — (Reporter: Deyongjian) The European Union announced on the 23rd the extension of the Red Sea escort operation period, continuing to safeguard "freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waters."

　　According to the announcement released by the Council of the European Union on the same day, the escort operation named "ASPIDES" (Greek for "shield") will be extended for one year, until February 28, 2027.

　　The announcement stated that the relevant committee of the EU Council made this decision after a strategic assessment. Over the next year, the EU will allocate nearly 15 million euros to the "Aspides" operation.

　　In February 2024, the European Union launched the "Aspides" operation, headquartered in Larissa, Greece. Its core mission is to "maintain freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waters." The operation's scope covers major maritime routes near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and monitors maritime conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the high seas of the Persian Gulf.

　　The northern end of the Red Sea is connected to the Mediterranean Sea via Egypt's Suez Canal, and the southern end is linked to the Gulf of Aden via the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Its route serves as a "maritime lifeline" relied upon for Eurasian goods and energy trade. However, after the outbreak of a new round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, Yemen's Houthi forces launched multiple attacks on the Red Sea route, forcing shipping companies to detour around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, significantly increasing transportation time and costs.

　　According to previous media reports, after the launch of the "Aspides" operation in February 2024, ships from countries such as Italy, Greece, and France will participate, specifically assisting vessel passage, intercepting drones, anti-ship missiles, and more. The head of the "Aspides" operation stated that the EU has no intention of fighting the Houthi forces but aims to build a maritime security barrier to resist attacks by the Houthi forces on Red Sea routes. (End)