Yemen17 September, 20263 min read
Italy Deploys Warships To Safeguard Commercial Ships Through Bab Al-Mandeb Amid Houthi Threats
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Italy mobilizes naval forces to safeguard its merchant ships through Bab al-Mandeb. Crosetto says Italy will act alone, not awaiting EU Aspides mandate.
9 outlets told this the same way.
Italy readies navy
Italy announced on Thursday that it would deploy warships to safeguard the safe passage of its commercial ships through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait amid maritime security concerns off Yemen. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said, "We have the capabilities to protect the passage," and warned that if the waterway became impassable it would have significant consequences for the economy and consumers. Crosetto said he and Italy's chief of defense staff agreed to mobilize the navy to prepare "whatever is necessary" to guarantee the secure transit of Italian vessels.
The Reuters account tied the escalation to fears for Red Sea shipping after the Iran-aligned Houthis brought the entire west coast of Yemen under their control and captured strategically located islands, giving them virtually unrestricted access to the strait. The Daily Sabah report also said the United States and the European Union have already been attempting to better protect merchant ships from attacks by the rebels through military operations.
No EU wait
Crosetto told the Risorsa Mare Forum in La Spezia that Italy would not wait for the European Union’s Aspides operation to decide whether ships can pass, saying, "Together with the Chief of Staff, we have decided not to wait for (EU's Red Sea operation) Aspides to decide whether ships can pass or not." At the same forum, Crosetto said, "I am not deciding right now" how many Italian naval vessels would be deployed, adding that the priority was restoring shipping traffic and protecting merchant vessels. The Reuters account said Crosetto did not specify the measures under consideration or the naval assets that may be dispatched to the region, while also warning that disruptions to major shipping routes would raise transportation costs and delay deliveries.
In the framing used by ANSA, Crosetto argued that delaying action in cases like this equals holding back the economy and exacerbating problems, and he said that when Italy can, it intervenes to alleviate crises. The Daily Sabah report similarly said Crosetto did not spell out what measures were being considered or what naval assets might be sent to the area.
Economic and infrastructure stakes
Crosetto linked the maritime threat to economic and social risk, warning that disruptions to major shipping lanes would drive up transport costs, delay deliveries, and push higher prices onto families and businesses. He said, "Every economic crisis hits the most vulnerable people hardest, putting social cohesion and the country's stability at risk," and the Reuters account repeated that warning in the context of Red Sea shipping concerns. The Daily Sabah report also highlighted the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure, including data cables and energy links, saying monitoring and protecting the seas both above and below the surface safeguards security, prosperity, and the future.
In the Reuters account, Crosetto similarly said, "For a major maritime nation such as Italy, monitoring and protecting the seas, both above and below the surface, means protecting its security, its prosperity and its future," and added that the defense ministry and Italian navy would intervene decisively whenever necessary. The stakes described across the reports were therefore tied to keeping the Bab al-Mandeb Strait open for Italian vessels and protecting the underwater systems that support maritime and economic activity.