Iran-Houthis, Russia: NATO-EU’s Maritime Threats

“Iranian vessels are now operating off Suez,” warned Vice Admiral Didier Maleterre, Deputy Commander of NATO’s Maritime Command (MARCOM), during the 13th edition of the Shared Awareness and De-confliction in the Mediterranean (Shade Med) conference in Rome. His statement highlighted the growing risks in a region already destabilised by maritime threats, including those posed by the Iran-backed Houthi movement in the Red Sea.

Shade Med, co-organized by MARCOM and the European Union’s Operation Irini, has long served as a forum to address shared security challenges in the Mediterranean (and beyond). This year’s discussions reflected an urgent need to bolster NATO-EU cooperation alongside regional countries to counter threats emanating from ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. The Houthi blockade of the Red Sea and their growing naval capabilities were central to this analysis.

The Houthi Factor in Maritime Security

Although MARCOM and Irini do not directly address Houthi activities, their role in regional instability was a recurring topic at Shade Med. This highlights the broader framework of EU-led initiatives, such as EUNAVFOR Aspides—dedicated explicitly to maritime security in the Indo-Mediterranean—and their interconnectedness with Atlantic Alliance sea operations. NATO Operations Director Ariella Viehe pointedly noted, “Russia relies on unconventional allies, such as North Korea and networks tied to the Houthis, to support its war efforts in Ukraine. Meanwhile, in the Red Sea, groups like the Houthis have demonstrated anti-ship capabilities by attacking allied vessels.” Viehe’s remarks underscored how Yemeni group naval activities are part of a broader network of challenges that extend far beyond the Arabian Peninsula.

These maritime operations are a local threat and reflect more significant geopolitical dynamics. Middle East analyst Francesco Salesio Schiavi, writing for The New Arab, highlights the growing ties between Russia and the Houthi movement as a strategic shift in the Red Sea. This partnership challenges U.S. influence, increases the stakes for Saudi Arabia, and complicates the priorities of NATO and EU maritime security. Schiavi’s analysis aligns with discussions at Shade Med, which emphasised the interconnectedness of threats from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and Indo-Mediterranean.

Recent incidents underline one more time the threat posed by the Houthis since the beginning of the attacks (to align with Hamas resistance) in November 2023. On Friday, a British merchant vessel was attacked 105 nautical miles north of Yemen’s Hodeidah port. According to the United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the ship was left listing on its side and drifting, creating a hazard in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. Coalition forces evacuated the crew to Djibouti. In the meantime, the French Navy successfully neutralised a Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with anti-drone jamming technology, marking a significant operational milestone in countering Houthi attacks.

Meanwhile, the aftermath of the August 21 attack on the Greek tanker Sounion further illustrates the Houthis’ growing capacity for maritime disruption. Carrying Iraqi oil, the tanker was attacked off Hodeidah, forcing its crew to abandon ship after sustained missile and minor boat assaults. European maritime safety officials later confirmed the vessel was not under EU protection at the time of the incident. After months of delay, the tanker’s crude cargo was only recently transferred to another ship, underlining the operational and economic fallout of Houthi actions.

NATO-EU Complementarity in Maritime Security

Against this backdrop, Shade Med reiterated the strategic value of NATO-EU complementarity in addressing maritime threats. Vice Admiral Maleterre described the EU as “an essential and unique partner for the Atlantic Alliance, and vice versa,” emphasising the need for joint task forces and enhanced cooperation. The EU’s Strategic Compass of 2022, highlighted by Alison Weston, Deputy Director for Security and Defense Policy at the EU, has paved the way for initiatives such as the “Mediterranean Pact” to strengthen regional partnerships.

The focus on maritime security as a global priority reflects its role in current geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics. The Mediterranean and Red seas are vital commercial arteries and critical theatres for great-power competition as Russia and China expand their activities in North Africa. Viehe captured the essence of this challenge: “Crises and wars do not end on land; they hit us through the seas and on a global scale.”

The Strategic Challenge Ahead

The intersection of Iranian naval activity off Suez, Houthi anti-ship capabilities, and Russia’s deepening ties with unconventional allies highlights the urgency of coordinated action. While Shade Med serves as a platform for dialogue, the threats require operational solutions.

The Houthi threat in the Red Sea underscores the global stakes of maritime security. The interconnected challenges of Iranian naval activity off Suez, Houthi anti-ship capabilities, and Russia’s unconventional alliances demand operational solutions grounded in NATO-EU cooperation. As the year-long series of attacks and subsequent economic disruptions demonstrate, no region operates in isolation. NATO and the EU must act with strategic foresight and unity to safeguard critical maritime routes—not just in the Mediterranean and Red Sea but across the Indo-Mediterranean nexus, where great-power competition looms large.