The commander of the European naval operation in the Red Sea (Aspedes), Admiral Vasilios, said that he was no longer able to accomplish his mission, as a result of the withdrawal of warships and the lack of sufficient warships.

The commander of the European naval operation in the Red Sea added, in a secret meeting in Brussels last week, that very few countries are sending warships to the region, and that he is no longer able to accomplish his mission, according to the German magazine “Der Spiegel.”

Vasilios continued, “After the withdrawal of the German frigate “Hessen,” we will only have three warships at our disposal for the coming months.”

He added, "For the mission, we need at least ten warships, and air support from a drone or maritime patrol aircraft is necessary."

The commander of the European naval operation in the Red Sea confirmed that the danger resulting from attacks from Yemen has become more severe than ever

The commander of the European naval operation in the Red Sea, Admiral Vassilios, added, “The Houthis succeeded in overcoming the air defense of European Union ships with a swarm of drones, and they damaged a commercial ship that was under the protection of important ships.”

The magazine suggested that the commander of the European naval operation in the Red Sea would not receive additional ships, despite the urgent appeal he made.

According to Spiegel magazine, “Warships have modern anti-aircraft defenses that can combat multiple targets at the same time. But with a whole swarm of drones, even the most powerful systems surrender at some point.”

The magazine quoted diplomats in the European Union as confirming that full transit of ships in the Red Sea has not been restored as it was before, despite the European Union’s mission and the parallel operation led by the United States, “Guardian of Prosperity.”