Italy refused to take part in United States (U.S) and the United Kingdom (UK) strikes against the Houthi group in Yemen, a government source said on Friday, explaining that Rome prefers to follow a policy of “appeasement” in the Red Sea.
The source, who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, also said the government would need parliamentary support to take part in any military action, making quick approval impossible.
The U.S. and the UK hit multiple targets in Yemen from the air and from the sea, while the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, and Bahrain provided logistical and intelligence support, U.S. officials said.
The nighttime attacks were a response to repeated Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
Earlier this week, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated that Houthi attacks must stop without sparking another war in the region.
The U.S. and other countries launched Operation Prosperity Guardian last month to protect the ships.
Italy announced in December that it would send a ship to the area following a request from shipowners for support, but has not signed up for the U.S.-led mission, and other European Union (EU) allies appear to have distanced themselves from the initiative.
Crosetto said Italy would need parliamentary approval for its participation in the new international naval mission, which would complicate eventual accession, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
