EUNAVOR ASPIDES

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the Hesse frigate, which arrived in the region at the weekend as part of an EU mission to help secure international shipping from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, opened fire after efforts to identify the unknown drone "were unsuccessful."

The Council launched today EUNAVFOR ASPIDES. The objective of this defensive maritime security operation is to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf.