Key facts
- EU proposes expanding Operation Aspides to Strait of Hormuz.
- Expansion would focus on mine-clearing operations.
- Operation Aspides currently patrols Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean.
- Proposal requires unanimous approval from 27 EU member states.
- Strait of Hormuz is a key route for global oil and LNG supplies.
The European Union is considering expanding its existing naval mission, 'Operation Aspides,' to include mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz. This strategic waterway, crucial for global oil and LNG supplies, has experienced significant disruptions due to heightened Middle East tensions. The proposal, circulated by the EU's diplomatic service under foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, would see Operation Aspides, which currently patrols the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and northwest Indian Ocean, take a primary role in mine-clearing in the Strait of Hormuz. This would complement existing efforts by a French-British coalition. The expansion requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states. The Strait of Hormuz has been central to recent Middle East tensions, with Washington and Tehran accusing each other of violating a fragile ceasefire. Previous demands from former US President Donald Trump for European allies to help secure the strait were rejected by Brussels. The UK and France had previously announced their own multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation. The ongoing conflict has exacerbated energy supply concerns for European states, which had already reduced Russian imports.