ATHENS (AFP): Greece will join a US-led naval coalition to protect the Red Sea global shipping lane from Yemen’s Houthi militia, the defense minister said Thursday.
A Greek navy frigate will join the task force on orders from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said Defense Minister Nikos Dendias.
As a foremost shipping nation, Greece had a “fundamental interest” in addressing a “massive threat” to global maritime transport, Dendias said in a televised statement.
The task force announced by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday initially included Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.
The Iran-backed Houthis say their missile and drone strikes on passing container ships are in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war raging between Israel and militant group Hamas since October 7.
The attacks in waters leading to the Suez Canal, a chokepoint for about 10 percent of global trade, have forced many shipping companies to divert their vessels.
