EU boosts Red Sea naval presence as Houthi threat to shipping escalates

The EU is urging member states to deploy additional warships to the Red Sea following Houthi control of the Bab el Mandeb strait, which has sharply increased risks to commercial shipping. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has unilaterally sent ships, criticizing EU bureaucracy. The move compounds existing shipping disruptions from the Strait of Hormuz blockade, raising economic stakes.