Italy says EU nations failed to commit to Red Sea security

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Italy's defence minister says European governments have taken no concrete steps to strengthen protection for commercial shipping in the Red Sea. He urged the EU to bolster its Aspides naval mission, which protects vessels from Houthi attacks.

By Angelo Amante ROME, Nov 10 (Reuters) - European nations have taken no concrete steps to strengthen shipping protection in the Red Sea, Italy's defence minister said on Tuesday, adding that governments have failed to respond to his calls to bolster the bloc's naval mission in the area. In September, Guido Crosetto urged the European Union to bolster its Aspides mission, launched in 2024 to protect commercial shipping from attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis that have escalated as part of the Middle East conflict.