Defence-only naval force reflects deepening EU divisions

France and Italy already have warships in the region, while Germany has ordered the frigate Hessen to sail from the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven to participate in the mission following approval from the German parliament. Belgium has also offered to contribute a frigate to the mission.

European divisions

But while the formation of the EU force is a welcome addition to global efforts to improve security in the region, it has also exposed sharp differences in the way the Europeans intend to deal with the security challenges posed by the Houthis and the approach currently being undertaken by the current US-UK mission, which is codenamed Operation Prosperity Guardian.

While the US and British military have launched a series of strikes against Houthi targets based in Yemeni territory, the Europeans only want to undertake defensive missions which, while seeking to protect shipping, would not involve attacks against land-based targets.

As Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, made clear when outlining the initial plans for the force in early February, the EU mission to protect commercial vessels from Iran-backed Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea will be "purely defensive," and will not conduct "any kind of attack."

Addressing reporters before chairing a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels, Borrell insisted that the EU mission would not take part in any military strikes and would only operate at sea.

"This is the purpose: protection of the ships. Intercepting of the attacks against the ships. Not participating in any kind of action against the Houthis. Only blocking the attacks of the Houthis," he said.

The planned EU action is primarily a response to European business leaders who are concerned about the trade implications of forcing merchant ships to bypass the Red Sea on their way to and from Europe. 

Many major shipping companies have opted to reroute their vessels via the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa rather than risking the Suez Canal.

Ships owned and operated by European companies (e.g., Denmark's Maersk) have been among those targeted by the Houthis since the war erupted.

"Many European firms asked us to do that because their business model is suffering a lot due to the high increase in cost and having to go down to South Africa," Borrell explained. "It's affecting prices, it's affecting inflation. So, it's a natural endeavour for us to try to avoid this risk."

Even so, a significant number of EU leaders are reluctant to support even this limited mission, with the majority of EU countries proving reluctant to do so.

"Not all member states will be willing to participate but no one will obstruct," Borrell conceded.

The EU initiative to form its own naval protection force in the Red Sea has been prompted by the concerns of some European leaders about the idea of being under Washington's command.

Deepening unease about Israel's war

The reluctance of many European leaders, moreover, to become directly involved in military action against the Houthis is a result of their deepening unease about Israel's relentless war on Gaza.

While, in the immediate aftermath of the 7 October attacks, European leaders declared their support for Israel's right to defend itself, they have been increasingly concerned at the scale of Israel's response, which has killed more than 30,500 Palestinians.

This has led EU leaders to focus their efforts on arranging a lasting ceasefire for the Gaza conflict instead. Participating in military action against the Houthis will only, in their view, further complicate their ceasefire efforts.

The deepening divisions between the EU and the US over the Gaza crisis has also led to strains in the transatlantic alliance, with Borrell responding to US President Joe Biden's comment in mid-February that Israel's military response in Gaza was "over the top" by calling on Washington to scale down its arms supplies to the Jewish state.

"If you believe that too many people are being killed, maybe you should provide fewer arms in order to prevent so many people having been killed," Borrell said in what amounted to a direct attack on the Biden administration's support for Israel.

"If the international community believes that this is a slaughter, that too many people are being killed, maybe we have to think about the provision of arms," Borrell added.

The tensions between Europe and the US over Gaza are likely to be reflected in their different approaches to providing security in the Red Sea, with the US taking the more aggressive approach of attacking Houthi targets on the mainland while the EU confines its operations to safeguarding shipping.

The Houthis claim they are only conducting their attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea in support of Hamas and have indicated they will end the attacks once a ceasefire in Gaza has been implemented.

Read more: Western states mull options as Houthi attacks continue in Red Sea

Efforts by EU leaders to create their own naval force that can operate independently of the more robust military response undertaken by the US and UK against the Houthis indicate the EU's attempts to form its own defensive infrastructure.

Previously, the EU has mounted its own naval operations to tackle the threat posed by Somali pirates, as well as targeting illegal migrant smuggling operations in the Mediterranean.

Whether the creation of a specific EU force to protect international shipping from Houthis will have the desired effect of improving security in the Red Sea will depend to a large extent on whether global efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza are successful and whether the Houthis can be trusted to end their attacks if such an arrangement is implemented.

While the Houthis enjoy the backing of Iran, the Houthi leadership also has its own political agenda and often operates independently of its allies in Tehran.

There have been reports recently that one of the main motivations for the Houthis deciding to launch attacks against shipping in the Red Sea has been the need to raise their profile at a time when support for their cause has been declining in Yemen.

The Iran factor

Iran is another important factor that could lead to the continuation of attacks against shipping in the Red Sea.

Although Iran claims it does not control the Houthis directly, it has nevertheless called on its supporters in the region to maintain the pressure on the US and its allies as part of its long-term campaign to diminish Washington's standing in the region.

And that could continue long after any ceasefire is implemented in the Gaza Strip.