EU Maritime Mission Escorts Merchant Through Red Sea Under Italian Frigate

⚓ RED SEA — Italian warship makes the argument Europe hasn't been willing to. 📌 LOOK CLOSER: EUNAVFOR Aspides has operated defensively — intercepting drones, not escorting hulls. An Italian frigate shepherding a merchant shifts the mission to assertive. With Bab el-Mandeb throttled and Hormuz blocked, this is Europe's last energy corridor. If Houthis target the convoy, Rome and Brussels face the escalation question they've dodged for five months.