Greece will join a United States-led naval coalition to protect the Red Sea global shipping lane from Yemen's Houthi rebels, the defense minister said Thursday.

A Greek navy frigate will join the task force on orders from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said.

As a foremost shipping nation, Greece had a "fundamental interest" in addressing a "massive threat" to global maritime transport, Dendias said in a televised statement.

The task force announced by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday initially included Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.

The Iran-backed Houthis say their missile and drone strikes on passing container ships are in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war raging between Israel and terrorist group Hamas since 7 October.