Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tajani, spoke on Friday about the safety of Italian soldiers after the Israeli army struck United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) bases in southern Lebanon on Thursday.
“Hands off Italian soldiers, they are not Hezbollah militants,” Tajani said, speaking in Turin, where he attended a meeting with regional governor Alberto Cirio regarding the economic impact of the landslide in Frejus and the closure of the Mont Blanc tunnel.
“No Italian soldiers were injured in the attacks on the UNIFIL bases,” Tajani said.
“Italian soldiers are safe, but we don’t want the situation to escalate,” he added.
Tajani further stated that the Italian military personnel deployed with UNIFIL – including around 1.200 soldiers – have “always adhered strictly to the rules, working for peace, a situation that also ensures the protection of Israeli civilians.”
“They have fulfilled their duty, and we stand with them, monitoring the situation minute by minute,” added the head of Italian diplomacy.
