Dendias: Greece will dispatch frigate to Red Sea

Greece will send a Hellenic Navy frigate to the multinational force led by the United States that will maintain unfettered access to the Red Sea for commercial ships, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias announced on Thursday.

Operation Guardian of Prosperity, in which 10 countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain) have already expressed an interest, will aim to protect merchant vessels sailing in the Red Sea that face a threat from Houthi rebels.

Iranian-backed rebels based in western Yemen have announced attacks on ships from countries they consider hostile, and have already seized one merchant ship and launched missiles against three others. 

In the coming days, a team of Hellenic Navy staff is expected to travel to Bahrain, where the US-sponsored operation's coordination center...