Rome, March 5 (SANA) Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy will deploy air defense systems to Gulf states in response to ongoing Iranian attacks targeting several countries in the region.
Meloni said the decision aligns Italy with similar measures taken by the United Kingdom, France and Germany, emphasizing that the deployment is strictly defensive.
She said the move aims to protect tens of thousands of Italian citizens living in the Gulf, along with about 2,000 Italian troops deployed in the region, and stressed the strategic importance of the Gulf for global energy supplies and Italy’s national interests.
Meloni added that the United States is permitted to use its military bases in Italy only for operations that do not involve airstrikes, and that any change to this authorization would require government and likely parliamentary approval.
The announcement comes amid ongoing Iranian strikes across the region following U.S.–Israeli military operations, raising security concerns for several Arab states. Earlier Thursday, Australia confirmed the deployment of additional military capabilities to the Middle East as a precautionary measure.
