{"id":2048358,"date":"2026-07-17T12:23:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T09:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2048358"},"modified":"2026-07-17T12:23:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T09:23:00","slug":"eu-bolsters-red-sea-mission-amid-reports-houthis-may-shut-bab-el-mandeb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2048358","title":{"rendered":"EU bolsters Red Sea mission amid reports Houthis may shut Bab el-Mandeb"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/12\/64\/1200x675_cmsv2_52169891-856c-5205-8e0e-aa120e31b454-9841264.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2910653-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2910653\" data-cid=\"9842155\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2910653-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/21\/55\/189x106_cmsv2_f3395cf6-475d-5dfc-9c5d-f2c376bf279c-9842155.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"US President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping while leaving after a visit to the Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing, Friday, 15 May, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    China<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    China rejects Trump&#8217;s election interference accusations\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908624-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2908624\" data-cid=\"9838628\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908624-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/13\/189x106_cmsv2_ef869aea-2681-53cc-8b62-0be9af67ea3b-9832213.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Athens Photography Festival\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Athens Photo Festival: A polyphonic celebration of photography\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2910646-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2910646\" data-cid=\"9842086\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2910646-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/20\/86\/189x106_cmsv2_820f1562-b408-5105-b7f7-eb9eb5497c24-9842086.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - FILE - A person uses a smart phone in Chicago, Sept. 16, 2017. (AP Photo, File)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Your phone is destroying your thumbs \u2014 and here&#8217;s how to stop it\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2910594-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2910594\" data-cid=\"9841743\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2910594-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/17\/43\/189x106_cmsv2_a2128fc3-f088-5315-8552-eff4417b1f87-9841743.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Hungarian Prime Minister P\u00e9ter Magyar in the parliament building in Budapest\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Rule of Law in Hungary shows \u2018radical change\u2019 under Magyar, EU says\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2910653-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2910653\" data-cid=\"9842155\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2910653-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/21\/55\/189x106_cmsv2_f3395cf6-475d-5dfc-9c5d-f2c376bf279c-9842155.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"US President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping while leaving after a visit to the Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing, Friday, 15 May, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    China<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    China rejects Trump&#8217;s election interference accusations\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908624-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2908624\" data-cid=\"9838628\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908624-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/13\/189x106_cmsv2_ef869aea-2681-53cc-8b62-0be9af67ea3b-9832213.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Athens Photography Festival\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Athens Photo Festival: A polyphonic celebration of photography\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2910646-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2910646\" data-cid=\"9842086\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2910646-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/20\/86\/189x106_cmsv2_820f1562-b408-5105-b7f7-eb9eb5497c24-9842086.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - FILE - A person uses a smart phone in Chicago, Sept. 16, 2017. (AP Photo, File)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Your phone is destroying your thumbs \u2014 and here&#8217;s how to stop it\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2910594-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2910594\" data-cid=\"9841743\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2910594-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/17\/43\/189x106_cmsv2_a2128fc3-f088-5315-8552-eff4417b1f87-9841743.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Hungarian Prime Minister P\u00e9ter Magyar in the parliament building in Budapest\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Rule of Law in Hungary shows \u2018radical change\u2019 under Magyar, EU says\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          News<\/p>\n<p>                          World<\/p>\n<p>                          Djibouti<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            EU bolsters Red Sea mission amid reports Houthis may shut Bab el-Mandeb<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/12\/64\/1536x864_cmsv2_52169891-856c-5205-8e0e-aa120e31b454-9841264.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"FILE: Commander of the Operation awards the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (EU) Medal to the crew of HS PSARA, 15 July 2026\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              FILE: Commander of the Operation awards the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (EU) Medal to the crew of HS PSARA, 15 July 2026<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">EUNAVFOR ASPIDES\/European Union, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0EUNAVFOR ASPIDES\/European Union, 2026\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbsp<b>Toby Gregory<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1784290980\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-07-17 14:23:00 +02:00\">17\/07\/2026 &#8211; 14:23 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label 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class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed_container u-display-none\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed__tooltip\"><br \/>\n                            Copy\/paste the article video embed link below:<br \/>\n                        <\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed u-display-flex\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-copy-to-clipboard.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Copy to clipboard\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-share-comment-copy\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed--success-copied u-display-none js-c-article-share-comment-video-embed-success-link-copied\"><br \/>\n                                Copied<br \/>\n                            <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas visited Djibouti and signed a new security agreement to strengthen Europe&#8217;s naval presence, as reports say Tehran has asked the Houthis to shut the Bab el-Mandeb if the US strikes Iranian infrastructure, threatening a second global shipping chokepoint.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>The European Union is ramping up its security missions in the Red Sea as the Iran-backed Houthis are reported to be preparing at Tehran&#8217;s behest to close the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the gateway to the key Red Sea global shipping route and oil route in the Horn of Africa.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Bab el-Mandeb \u2014 Arabic for &#8220;Gate of Tears&#8221; \u2014 is a narrow strait roughly 30 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, separating Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula from Djibouti and Eritrea on the Horn of Africa. <\/p>\n<p>Around 10-15% of global maritime trade passes through it, including a significant share of Europe&#8217;s oil and gas imports. <\/p>\n<p>A closure would force vessels to take the much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, adding two to three weeks to journeys between Asia and Europe and sharply increasing shipping costs.<\/p>\n<p>EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas wrapped up a trip to Djibouti on Thursday, where she visited the EU\u2019s Aspides and Atalanta naval missions, which ensure security in the Red Sea against the Houthis. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaritime security is under growing pressure,&#8221; Kallas told the gathered press in Djibouti. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Iran&#8217;s repeated attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz are unravelling the interim agreement with the United States, while the situation in the Red Sea is once again deteriorating.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The EU foreign policy chief signed a new EU-Djibouti Status of Forces Agreement for Operation Aspides with the Djibouti government, a new joint security agreement to ramp up Europe\u2019s security presence, warning that recent Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia are a sign that instability on land becomes insecurity at sea.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeeing our sailors at work reminds me and reminds all of us that the freedom of navigation cannot be taken for granted. It must be protected every single day,\u201d Kallas told the Djibouti government officials. <\/p>\n<p>Kallas said Djibouti has been one of the EU&#8217;s closest maritime security partners in the region.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTogether, we are significantly reducing the threat of piracy and contributing to safety and security at sea. That would not have been possible without Djibouti.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>She said the deal signed between the EU and Djibouti \u201censures maintaining access to and support for our ships and air assets for as long as they are needed.\u201c<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe European Union continues to play an important role in helping to secure key maritime routes in the Red Sea, and it is needed more than ever across the region,&#8221; Kallas added.<\/p>\n<h2>World&#8217;s economic lifeline under threat<\/h2>\n<p>Kallas\u2019 visit coincided with reports of Tehran requesting from its Yemeni proxies, the Ansar Allah \u2014 more commonly known as the Houthis \u2014 to get ready to shut the Bab el-Mandeb strait if the US attacks Iran\u2019s infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>The Houthis launched their Red Sea campaign in October 2023, declaring solidarity with Hamas during the war in Gaza and targeting vessels they alleged had Israeli connections. <\/p>\n<p>The campaign drove a roughly 50% drop in commercial traffic through the Red Sea between late 2023 and early 2024, forcing dozens of major shipping companies to reroute around Africa. <\/p>\n<p>The Houthis paused most attacks after the US-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire in October 2025 but have since announced their readiness to resume them if conditions change.<\/p>\n<p>In a move that may send further shockwaves through the global economies as the Strait of Hormuz is still closed, Iran has chosen to use its so-called &#8220;Axis of Resistance&#8221; network to threaten the key maritime route.<\/p>\n<p>The network has served as a force multiplier for Iran throughout the current war, allowing Tehran to open multiple fronts simultaneously without directly deploying its own forces.<\/p>\n<p>Any blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb would open an extra front in addition to the Hormuz, to pressure the US and its allies from further military action in Iran.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Houthis join Iran war fight, threatening Red Sea shipping amid Hormuz closure<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">&#8216;Ruled by warlords eating from rubbish bins&#8217;: Yemenis reflect on one decade of devastating civil war<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>EUNAVFOR Aspides, launched in February 2024 in response to the Houthi campaign against commercial shipping that began in October 2023, is a purely defensive maritime security mission covering the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman. It does not conduct strikes on land targets. <\/p>\n<p>Over the last two years, it has safeguarded more than 670 merchant ships and saved 128 seafarers, Kallas said.<\/p>\n<p>Operation Atalanta, the EU&#8217;s older naval mission, launched in December 2008, was originally established to counter Somali piracy and has since been broadened to encompass broader maritime security in the western Indian Ocean. <\/p>\n<p>Both missions are coordinated from Djibouti, which hosts military bases for more than half a dozen countries \u2014 including the US, France, China, Japan, Italy and Germany \u2014 owing to its position at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.<\/p>\n<p>If Bab el-Mandeb were to be choked off, too, the cost would be borne by European homes and businesses. For now, Europe is moving to keep this open. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen shipping is threatened, supply chains disrupted, prices rise, and families and businesses feel the consequences far beyond this region. That is why today&#8217;s agreement matters,&#8221; Kallas said. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s about more than supporting European operations. It&#8217;s about keeping one of the world&#8217;s economic lifelines open together,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n<p><em>Euronews correspondent Toby Gregory reported from the EU military vessels patrolling the Red Sea.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Qatar\u2019s air defence intercepts fresh Iranian missile barrage over Doha<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Authorities deny reports of booms in downtown Dubai<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Iran launches retaliatory attacks on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Iran war<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Kaja Kallas<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Union<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Iran<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Strait of Hormuz<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Djibouti<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad 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after Spain scored their second goal in the World Cup semi-final against France in Arlington, on 14 July.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    2026 World Cup: How to watch the final without risking your heart<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2909298-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2909298\" data-cid=\"9835333\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    The map predicting agricultural decline from climate change<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2910337-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2910337\" data-cid=\"9840453\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div 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\/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2910531-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2910531\" data-cid=\"9841409\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Qatar\u2019s air defence intercepts fresh Iranian missile barrage over Doha<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">The European Union is ramping up its security missions in the Red Sea as the Iran-backed Houthis are reported to be preparing at Tehran&#8217;s behest to close the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the gateway to the key Red Sea global shipping route and oil route in the Horn of Africa.The Bab el-Mandeb \u2014 Arabic for &#8220;Gate of Tears&#8221; \u2014 is a narrow strait roughly 30 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, separating Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula from Djibouti and Eritrea on the Horn of Africa.Around 10-15% of global maritime trade passes through it, including a significant share of Europe&#8217;s oil and gas imports.A closure would force vessels to take the much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, adding two to three weeks to journeys between Asia and Europe and sharply increasing shipping costs.EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas wrapped up a trip to Djibouti on Thursday, where she visited the EU\u2019s Aspides and Atalanta naval missions, which ensure security in the Red Sea against the Houthis.\u201cMaritime security is under growing pressure,&#8221; Kallas told the gathered press in Djibouti.&#8221;Iran&#8217;s repeated attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz are unravelling the interim agreement with the United States, while the situation in the Red Sea is once again deteriorating.\u201dThe EU foreign policy chief signed a new EU-Djibouti Status of Forces Agreement for Operation Aspides with the Djibouti government, a new joint security agreement to ramp up Europe\u2019s security presence, warning that recent Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia are a sign that instability on land becomes insecurity at sea.\u201cSeeing our sailors at work reminds me and reminds all of us that the freedom of navigation cannot be taken for granted. It must be protected every single day,\u201d Kallas told the Djibouti government officials.Kallas said Djibouti has been one of the EU&#8217;s closest maritime security partners in the region.\u201cTogether, we are significantly reducing the threat of piracy and contributing to safety and security at sea. That would not have been possible without Djibouti.\u201dShe said the deal signed between the EU and Djibouti \u201censures maintaining access to and support for our ships and air assets for as long as they are needed.\u201c\u201cThe European Union continues to play an important role in helping to secure key maritime routes in the Red Sea, and it is needed more than ever across the region,&#8221; Kallas added.World&#8217;s economic lifeline under threatKallas\u2019 visit coincided with reports of Tehran requesting from its Yemeni proxies, the Ansar Allah \u2014 more commonly known as the Houthis \u2014 to get ready to shut the Bab el-Mandeb strait if the US attacks Iran\u2019s infrastructure.The Houthis launched their Red Sea campaign in October 2023, declaring solidarity with Hamas during the war in Gaza and targeting vessels they alleged had Israeli connections.The campaign drove a roughly 50% drop in commercial traffic through the Red Sea between late 2023 and early 2024, forcing dozens of major shipping companies to reroute around Africa.The Houthis paused most attacks after the US-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire in October 2025 but have since announced their readiness to resume them if conditions change.In a move that may send further shockwaves through the global economies as the Strait of Hormuz is still closed, Iran has chosen to use its so-called &#8220;Axis of Resistance&#8221; network to threaten the key maritime route.The network has served as a force multiplier for Iran throughout the current war, allowing Tehran to open multiple fronts simultaneously without directly deploying its own forces.Any blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb would open an extra front in addition to the Hormuz, to pressure the US and its allies from further military action in Iran.EUNAVFOR Aspides, launched in February 2024 in response to the Houthi campaign against commercial shipping that began in October 2023, is a purely defensive maritime security mission covering the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman. It does not conduct strikes on land targets.Over the last two years, it has safeguarded more than 670 merchant ships and saved 128 seafarers, Kallas said.Operation Atalanta, the EU&#8217;s older naval mission, launched in December 2008, was originally established to counter Somali piracy and has since been broadened to encompass broader maritime security in the western Indian Ocean.Both missions are coordinated from Djibouti, which hosts military bases for more than half a dozen countries \u2014 including the US, France, China, Japan, Italy and Germany \u2014 owing to its position at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.If Bab el-Mandeb were to be choked off, too, the cost would be borne by European homes and businesses. For now, Europe is moving to keep this open.\u201cWhen shipping is threatened, supply chains disrupted, prices rise, and families and businesses feel the consequences far beyond this region. That is why today&#8217;s agreement matters,&#8221; Kallas said.&#8221;It&#8217;s about more than supporting European operations. It&#8217;s about keeping one of the world&#8217;s economic lifelines open together,\u201d she concluded.Euronews correspondent Toby Gregory reported from the EU military vessels patrolling the Red Sea.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/07\/17\/eu-bolsters-red-sea-mission-amid-reports-houthis-may-shut-bab-el-mandeb&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/84\/12\/64\/1200x675_cmsv2_52169891-856c-5205-8e0e-aa120e31b454-9841264.jpg&#8221;] China China rejects Trump&#8217;s election interference accusations Culture news Athens Photo Festival: A polyphonic celebration of photography Tech News Your phone is destroying your thumbs \u2014 and here&#8217;s how to stop it Europe News Rule of Law in Hungary shows \u2018radical change\u2019 under Magyar, EU says China China rejects Trump&#8217;s election interference [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2048358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2048358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2048358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2048358\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2048358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2048358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2048358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}