Rear Admiral Stefano Costantino has been appointed as EU Force Commander for the European Union Aspides naval operation to protect Red Sea shipping from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels based in Yemen, diplomatic sources said on Monday.

“In addition to its political role in launching the operation Italy will also have an important operational role: it will provide the Force Commander – Rear Admiral Costantino – and the Force Headquarters, which will be established on board a destroyer,” the sources said.

The Aspides Operational Command will instead be detached to the European Headquarters in Larissa, Greece, while the Strategic Command will remain – as for all EU Military Missions and Operations – in Brussels.