Greece has said it will send a naval frigate to the Red Sea to protect shipping after attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group, Reuters reports.

A day earlier, the Greek Shipping Ministry had advised commercial ships sailing in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to avoid Yemeni waters. Greek ship-owners control about 20 per cent of the world’s commercial vessels in terms of carrying capacity.

“The frigate will participate in the multinational operation ‘Prosperity Guardian’, for the protection of merchant ships, the lives of seafarers, the global economy,” Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said in a statement.