By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Italy is preparing an independent naval operation to escort commercial vessels through Bab Al-Mandeb, citing economic and security concerns.

Key Takeaways

• Italy is preparing a possible autonomous naval escort operation for commercial vessels considered vital to its national economy.
• The plan could involve diverting Italian warships from the EU’s Aspides mission, raising legal and parliamentary questions.
• Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said disruptions at Bab Al-Mandeb could increase prices, delay goods and threaten Italy’s social stability.

Italy Accelerates Red Sea Plans

Italy is preparing to deploy naval vessels to escort commercial shipping through the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait as the Yemeni Armed Forces, affiliated with the Ansarallah movement, expand their presence along Yemen’s western coast.

According to a report by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the plan would allow the Italian Navy to protect vessels carrying goods to Italy, and potentially other European countries, independently of the European Union’s Aspides naval mission.

The FREMM multipurpose frigate Carlo Bergamini is already operating in the area under Aspides. A second European multipurpose frigate could join it within weeks, the newspaper reported.

Corriere della Sera said the urgency surrounding the proposed mission had increased following Ansarallah’s capture of the port city of Mocha and the strategic island of Perim. Their continuing advance along Yemen’s western coast has raised concerns in Rome about the safety of container ships supplying European markets.

Italy is also facing growing tensions on NATO’s eastern flank. Italian Eurofighter jets stationed in Lithuania recently intercepted a Russian drone, while the Italian Air Force was subsequently scrambled after two Russian aircraft reportedly entered restricted airspace.

🔴ITALY 🇮🇹| #SaudiArabia : Italian Defense Minister @GuidoCrosetto confirmed that an Italian Eurofighter F-2000 was destroyed during a Houthi attack from Yemen on the Saudi King Fahd airbase at Ta’if, overnight Thursday into Friday 18. No Italian military personnel were injured. pic.twitter.com/0yNJoNQnl0

— Nanana365 (@nanana365media) September 19, 2026

Crosetto: ‘I Have Decided to Activate the Navy’

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said bureaucratic delays could worsen an already difficult situation and directly affect the Italian economy.

“We cannot allow bureaucratic decision-making delays to aggravate an already complex situation, with direct consequences for our economy and the lives of citizens,” Crosetto said, according to Corriere della Sera.

The minister has reportedly consulted the leadership of the Italian Defense Staff, the Navy and the Joint Operations Command, known as COVI, to assess the situation in the Red Sea.

The discussions have focused on the risks surrounding a possible escort operation for shipping considered to be “of national interest,” as well as the measures required to protect those vessels without endangering Italian naval units.

“I have decided to activate the Navy to prepare everything necessary to guarantee the safe transit of Italian ships,” Crosetto said.

“When a maritime route is interrupted, goods arrive late, costs increase and prices rise for families and businesses,” he continued. “Every economic crisis affects the most vulnerable people above all, putting social cohesion and the stability of the country at risk.”

An Unprecedented Operation

Corriere della Sera described the proposal as an unprecedented plan for the Italian Navy in an area repeatedly targeted by Yemeni missile and drone operations.

The Carlo Bergamini has already conducted 45 close-protection operations and 133 monitoring missions in the region. Together with the Italian destroyer Caio Duilio, it has previously responded to Yemeni missile and drone attacks.

“We have the capabilities to protect that passage,” Crosetto said.

The new initiative would also represent an acceleration compared with Italy’s previously announced involvement in a multinational operation to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz. That mission has not begun despite earlier government declarations.

Meloni schickt Italiens Marine in den Kampf gegen die Huthis

"Die italienische Regierung meint, sie wolle nicht auf eine Entscheidung der schwerfälligen Bürokratie in Brüssel warten: Melonis Marine will nun alleine die Meerenge Bab al-Mandab, die nun von den Huthis im Jemen…

— Eddie Graf (@Eddie_1412) September 18, 2026

Legal and Parliamentary Questions

A major unresolved issue concerns whether Italian naval vessels assigned to Aspides can be diverted from the European mission and used in an autonomous national operation.

Aspides was launched in 2024 to protect commercial navigation in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Its mandate, rules of engagement and parliamentary authorization may not cover a separate Italian escort mission.

Italian officials are therefore examining whether the government must seek a new parliamentary authorization and consult opposition parties before proceeding.

The government must also consider Italy’s international obligations, the existing Aspides mandate and whether revised rules of engagement would be necessary.

Crosetto said the government and Parliament would evaluate “what needs to be done,” although his public statements indicated that preparations for an intervention had already begun.

Bab Al-Mandeb and the Italian Economy

While the Strait of Hormuz is crucial for global oil and gas shipments, Bab Al-Mandeb is a vital passage for a much broader range of products destined for Italy, including food, minerals and raw materials.

If the waterway were closed or rendered unsafe, container ships could be forced to sail around Africa to reach European markets. Such a diversion would significantly increase travel times and transportation costs.

It could also discourage shipping companies from using the Mediterranean altogether, potentially cutting Italian, Spanish, French, Greek and Turkish ports out of major international trade routes.

“Defending freedom of navigation means protecting our supplies, the work of companies, the purchasing power of families and Italy’s ability to generate wealth,” Crosetto said.

The proposed operation therefore extends beyond the immediate protection of individual ships. According to the Italian government’s assessment, the security of Bab el-Mandeb could directly affect consumer prices, industrial production, employment and social stability throughout the country.

(PC, Corriere della Sera)