Italy to join possible EU operation in Red Sea: Defense Minister
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Italy's Defense Minister announces the country's possible involvement in what could be an EU operation in the Red Sea.
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Italian Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto, attending a NATO meeting on March 16, 2023. (AFP)
Italy is set to take part in a possible EU operation against Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto announced on Saturday.
The media reported earlier this week that EU member states are looking into the possibility of conducting a new naval operation in the Red Sea, while Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Friday that Madrid would not participate in this mission.
In an interview with Italian broadcaster Rai1, Crosetto said "Italy will certainly take part [in the operation], since 15% of the ships of world maritime trade pass through the Red Sea. Italy is the most affected country. We already have a ship in the area that protects our ships."
With regard to the strikes on Yemen, Crosetto explained that Rome was not offered to take part in the attacks because the government needs parliamentary support to participate in any military action.
US continues strikes on Yemen
Earlier on Friday, a US official told CNN that the US military has launched strikes against multiple targets in Yemen. Yemen's SABA news agency in Sanaa also reported that the American-Israeli-British aggression launched multiple airstrikes on the capital Sanaa and the provinces of Hodeidah, Saada, and Dhamar.
The US then renewed its aggression on Saturday, as confirmed by the US Central Command, "This strike was conducted by the USS Carney (DDG 64) using Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and was a follow-on action on a specific military target associated with strikes taken on Jan. 12 designed to degrade the Houthi’s ability to attack maritime vessels, including commercial vessels," Centcom said in a statement on X.
What is the EU operation plan?
European diplomats announced on Friday a new plan, to be discussed next week, between EU countries, aimed at setting up a naval mission allegedly to help protect Red Sea shipping following the Yemeni Armed Forces' operations in the maritime route.
Yemen's operations, however, have only targeted Israeli ships or "Israel"-bound ships.
The proposal -- in the pipeline in Brussels for several weeks -- was mooted before US and British forces struck Yemen. All EU efforts seek to complement a US-led coalition, including numerous countries from the bloc already operating in the vital shipping route, knowing that many chose to stay out of it.
According to the diplomats, the first discussion is going to be held in Brussels next Tuesday with the exact details of the size and scope of any EU mission to be sorted later. They also added that there is a possibility of striking a new agreement, by EU foreign ministers, on establishing the new mission.
