The checks on the risks of our military in light of the escalation of the Houthi attacks in recent days lead to a remodulation of the Italian contingents in the Gulf. The latest report drawn up by the Defense leaders and requested by Minister Guido Crosetto also ends up on the table of a meeting at Palazzo Chigi also in light of the attack on the Saudi base in Ta'if with the destruction of an Italian fighter. After the summit attended by the intelligence, the undersecretary to the Prime Minister Alfredo Mantovano and the highest defense authorities, the decision could lead to a "movement of soldiers" towards safer territories: a hypothesis considered more probable than the reduction of the contingent tout court.
"Assessments are underway, with the main focus on the security of the contingents, on the national presence in the area," Crosetto said. "As also made known by the Houthi spokesperson - he continued - there was no desire to strike an Italian asset. In the meantime, measures have been adopted for all assets and in particular for the air ones to increase their security conditions. In any case, the continuity of operational activities will be ensured in compliance with the international commitments undertaken with the participation in Inherent Resolve and the protection of our personnel".
At the moment it cannot be ruled out that the military will move within Saudi territory itself, while remembering that on the Middle Eastern front our country is also involved in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, where Army contingents have also been deployed for the Cerberus land task force (at least a hundred units would be employed). Moreover, according to the rules it is possible to redeploy Italian soldiers at any time.
The attacks by the Yemeni rebels do not only come internally and there is also the Red Sea to defend and the safe passage of Italian merchant ships, as reiterated days ago by Crosetto himself. For this reason, the situation of the Strait of Babel el-Mandeb was also addressed, in light of the declarations of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, on the strengthening of the Aspides mission. From this point of view, it is considered desirable that other countries participate with their own naval assets in escort operations or aerial surveillance. But as an alternative, Italy is ready, if necessary, to provide further contributions - in addition to the Bergamini frigate, already used in the mission together with the Greek one - as long as this time there is financial support from the various member states proportionate to the further commitment made.
The most imminent developments, however, concern our Task Force Arabia, which operates in the King Fahd hub, which ended up in the sights of the Yemeni militiamen. The priority is the safety of our contingents, starting with the one in Saudi Arabia, but at the center of the reflections are also the Italian defense assets deployed, which are therefore being moved in these hours: from the Eurofighter fighters (three of which remained operational after the recent attack) to the Gulfstream Caew radar aircraft, probably the most expensive in the air fleet. And the new generation Samp-T surface-to-air defense missile system would also be present at the King Fahd base together with the Kronos Grand Mobile High Power radar, just as the Skynex weapon system would be located in other territories of the Gulf.
