Greece takes the helm in an EU naval mission in the Red Sea

By DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece has formally agreed to participate in and lead a European Union maritime security operation in the Red Sea to protect commercial shipping from attacks by Houthi militants in Yemen. A governmental security committee ordered the deployment of a Greek frigate in the Aspides operation – named from the Greek word for “shield.” The mission will be run from a military base in Larissa, in central Greece, under the command of a Greek naval commodore. Greece, a major commercial shipping power, has been directly affected by the Houthi attacks. However, the defense minister says Greece won’t take part in U.S.-led attacks against Houthi military targets.