Italy has received formal requests from Gulf countries for air defence and anti-drone systems as fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States spreads across the region, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told lawmakers. He said governments in the Gulf had expressed "strong concern" about the crisis and an urgent need to bolster their defensive capabilities.
Among the systems requested is the SAMP/T, also known as MAMBA, a Franco-Italian battery capable of intercepting ballistic missiles and tracking multiple targets simultaneously. Italy is already supplying the system to Ukraine, limiting Rome's ability to meet additional demand. Crosetto described the issue as "very delicate" given existing European commitments.
Speaking alongside Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Crosetto said the widening conflict poses direct security risks for Italy. He had just returned from Dubai, where he was temporarily stranded following recent strikes on Iran, underscoring how rapidly the crisis is affecting the broader region...