Mediterranean security faces new threats from Red Sea instability

Italian Senator Rauti has highlighted the evolving geostrategic importance of the Mediterranean, describing an ‘Extended Mediterranean’ that encompasses the Middle East and Red Sea due to ongoing conflicts. This expanded area is increasingly becoming a space for hybrid warfare, which poses risks to European energy supplies, commercial trade, and migration patterns.

In the Red Sea, Houthi rebels supported by Iran have demonstrated the ability to disrupt global oil routes. While the Houthis rely on Iranian missiles and drones to target U.S. military assets and Saudi Arabian oil facilities, there are indications of strategic divergences between the rebels and their sponsors. The current instability underscores the need for strengthened European defense capabilities and a more robust industrial base within NATO to manage these interconnected global and local threats.