Italy, France, Germany Plans European Navy Mission In The Red Sea

JAKARTA - Italy is working with France and Germany on a European naval mission in the Red Sea where tensions are still high.

"Together with France and Germany, we formalize proposals to be submitted to other EU partners, and I am optimistic," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told a news conference on the duties of Italy's G7 presidency in Rome, according to state-run news agency ANSA., January 18th.

"We are trying to coincide with Operation Atalanta, there is a European military mission in the Red Sea," he said.

stressing the mistake will be discussed at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on January 22 in Brussels, Tajani expressed his hope that a decision would be made so that the mission could operate as soon as possible.

He noted the proposal encourages the possibility of participation of non-EU countries.

Tensions have risen in the Dead Sea amid the Houthi attack on commercial vessels suspected of having links to Israel.

Iran-backed Houthi groups said their attacks were aimed at pressuring Tel Aviv to stop its deadly attack on the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 24,285 people since cross-border attacks by Palestinian Hamas resistance groups on October 7.

The US and UK recently launched attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen in retaliation for the attack, which has raised fears of a new inflation crisis and disruption to the supply chain.

The Red Sea is one of the most frequently used sea routes in the world for oil and fuel shipments.