Italy plans air defense aid for Gulf states after Iranian strikes
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Rome intends to provide air defense assistance to Gulf states affected by Iranian retaliatory strikes, joining the United Kingdom, France and Germany in pledging military support to the region.
Speaking to Italian radio station RTL 102.5 on March 5, Meloni said the planned assistance would focus primarily on defense systems, particularly air defense capabilities.
She said the move was motivated not only by diplomatic ties but also by the presence of thousands of Italian citizens and military personnel in the region. According to Meloni, tens of thousands of Italians live across Gulf countries and around 2,000 Italian soldiers are currently deployed there.
Italy is considering sending one of its SAMP/T air defense batteries, a Franco Italian system designed to intercept ballistic missiles. Reuters reported that Rome is also assessing the potential deployment of anti drone systems, although a final decision has not yet been made.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said earlier in the week that Gulf countries had requested urgent assistance for air defense and counter drone capabilities. Officials also stressed that Italy will not redeploy systems currently assigned to Ukraine for use in the Gulf.
Italy maintains several hundred troops in the Middle East as part of coalition and stabilization missions. Italian forces are stationed in Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.
The government is also concerned about the safety of its citizens in the region. Officials estimate that around 30,000 Italians live and work in the United Arab Emirates alone. In response to the deteriorating security situation, the Italian foreign ministry recently established a crisis unit dedicated to the Gulf to coordinate consular assistance and possible evacuations after flight disruptions across the region.
Italy’s announcement follows a joint statement issued on March 1 by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The three leaders condemned what they described as indiscriminate Iranian missile attacks on regional countries and pledged to take defensive measures to protect their interests and allies.
Iran has launched waves of missiles and drones targeting countries across the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. The strikes also targeted US military facilities and Israel following US and Israeli operations that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Explosions were reported in several major Gulf cities including Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama. Civilian infrastructure was also affected, including Dubai International Airport.
The Gulf region remains a critical energy corridor, with roughly one fifth of global oil supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Meloni said the security of the area is vital not only for Italy but for Europe’s broader energy supply.
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