Gulf Tension Spurs Italy's Defence Response

Italy is experiencing an uptick in demands for its air defence and anti-drone systems from Gulf nations, who are embroiled in conflicts with Iran, Israel, and the United States. The disclosure was made by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto during a parliamentary session on Monday.

The tensions have escalated, with Israeli attacks on Lebanon following strikes by Hezbollah, and Tehran retaliating by launching missiles and drones at Gulf states. This has heightened regional concerns, as evidenced by an Iranian-made drone hitting a British base in Cyprus.

Crosetto emphasized the urgency expressed by Gulf countries to bolster their defences, particularly with advanced systems like the Franco-Italian SAMP/T, Europe's sole system capable of countering ballistic missiles. This challenge is compounded by Italy's ongoing commitments to arming Ukraine against Russia, which places further strain on the availability of these defence systems.