"We have witnessed a significant increase in requests from commercial vessels seeking Aspides’ support for their safe transit through the High Threat Area (South Red Sea/Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb [BAM]/Gulf of Aden)," Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, Commander of EUNAVFOR Aspides, told TWZ in an email.
Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis and the 39% surge in escort requests
Gryparis said the number of protection requests to Operation Aspides rose by 39% from February 2026 — when the U.S.-Israel-Iran confrontation began — until late July 2026. He framed the jump as evidence that "in times of insecurity, the shipping industry views Aspides as a credible and reliable maritime security provider." The admiral added that the task force is “working daily to maintain and strengthen bonds with the shipping industry” and that Aspides will “continue to implement our mandate within our means and capabilities.”
How Aspides operates: mandate, reach, and limits
Launched in February 2024 during an earlier Houthi campaign, Operation Aspides was created to act “in purely defensive mode to protect merchant vessels” and to accompany and deter through presence while strengthening maritime situational awareness, according to statements from the time of its founding. Since then, Gryparis told TWZ Aspides has "facilitated the safe passage of more than 2,240 merchant vessels and has provided close protection to more than 690 merchant vessels of different flags and interests." The Hellenic frigate HS Psara and the Italian frigate Bergamini are among the vessels that have escorted merchant ships under the Aspides umbrella.
Gryparis also described clear limits: Aspides did not provide assistance to vessels recently attacked by the Houthis because those ships were inside Saudi territorial waters and under the responsibility of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (KSA MRCC). According to the commander, the affected vessels had not registered their transit with the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO) and had not requested Aspides protection.
Houthis, Abdul‑Malik al‑Houthi, and the contested toll claim
The security spike follows Houthi actions that include a blockade on Saudi shipping and attacks on Saudi vessels and oil infrastructure. In a speech reported late Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul‑Malik al‑Houthi warned of “comprehensive escalation,” describing Houthi actions as responses to a Saudi “siege” and listing strikes, ship turnbacks and the downing of Saudi-operated reconnaissance aircraft.
Reports that the Houthis plan to impose a toll on Bab al‑Mandeb transits prompted a rebuttal. The Houthis’ Sanaa-based Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) issued a statement denying any decision to impose fees for transiting the strait, saying transit is “free of charge” and that its Safe Transit Service is voluntary and cost-free. The HOCC urged companies to avoid payments to unauthorized parties, to document incidents where payments are solicited, and to report them to compliance@hocc.go.ye; the HOCC also gave an operational contact for safe-transit requests as clearances@hocc.gov.ye.
Saudi Multinational Naval Defense Coalition and regional responses
Saudi Arabia announced the creation of a Multinational Naval Defense Coalition to protect transits through Bab‑el‑Mandeb, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Saudi Defense Ministry framed the initiative as a strategic step to “strengthen maritime security,” protect freedom of navigation and secure energy supply routes. About 50 nations were invited to join and 14 have signed up so far; a Saudi tweet said chiefs of staff or their representatives from 43 states participated in a recent meeting, out of 51 invited states and organizations.
Strait of Hormuz, Bab el‑Mandeb and a patchwork of data
The region’s two chokepoints show diverging patterns. Iran’s Press TV reported that the Persian Gulf Strait Authority said passage through the Strait of Hormuz was “currently impossible” because of continued “aggressive actions” by U.S. forces. U.S. Central Command pushed back on X, calling that claim false and saying the Strait “remains open for commercial vessel transit” and that “thousands of ships have sailed through the international waterway over the past four months.”
Independent maritime intelligence firm Kpler reported sharp swings: Strait of Hormuz crossings fell 77% day on day to just five vessels, with all transits concentrated through an “Iranian Unilateral Scheme.” By contrast, Bab el‑Mandeb recorded 47 crossings despite sanctioned vessel movements, shadow fleet activity and dark transits. Additional incidents that underscore regional risk include a drone strike on a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Damietta port — which U.S. and unnamed Iranian sources described differently — and Kuwaiti reports that air defenses shot down several drones with no human casualties.
What this means for merchant shipping, the Saudi coalition, and EUNAVFOR Aspides
- Merchant shipping: Companies are increasingly seeking organized naval escorts; Gryparis’ 39% surge figure suggests operators are more likely to register transits with bodies such as the MSCIO in order to receive protection. The HOCC warning about fraudulent toll solicitations signals a second non-kinetic commercial risk to watch.
- Saudi Multinational Naval Defense Coalition: The new coalition — now with 14 signatories from roughly 50 invited states — will need to clarify overlap, deconfliction and coordination with existing structures such as Aspides and the MSCIO to avoid gaps or duplication in escorts and information flow.
- EUNAVFOR Aspides: The task force is positioning itself as a defensive, industry-trusted security provider but remains constrained by its mandate and the need for vessels to register transits or request protection. Gryparis emphasized situational awareness and information sharing as core tools alongside physical escorting.
The operational picture is one of rising demand and shifting risk: escort requests are up, parallel naval groupings are forming, and commercial traffic through key chokepoints is behaving unevenly. The central question left by these facts is whether the new Saudi coalition and existing operations like Aspides — plus local authorities such as the KSA MRCC, the MSCIO and the HOCC — will quickly knit their procedures together to meet the surge in protection requests while keeping vital shipping lanes open.
