Italy plans to send air defence aid to Gulf states in the face of Iranian strikes

ROME - Italy is planning to send air defence aid to Gulf countries in the face of Iranian air strikes, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday.

"Like the United Kingdom, France and Germany, Italy intends to send assistance to Gulf countries, specifically in the field of defence and in particular air defence," Meloni told radio station RTL 102.5.

"This is not only because they are friendly nations, but above all because tens of thousands of Italians live in the region and around 2,000 Italian troops are deployed there - people we want, and must, protect," she added. 

This announcement builds on earlier statements from Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, who revealed that Gulf states had formally requested air defence and anti-drone systems, including the advanced SAMP/T battery.

The SAMP/T system, a Franco-Italian collaboration also known as MAMBA, is capable of tracking dozens of targets simultaneously and intercepting up to 10, including ballistic missiles. It represents a critical asset in countering the sophisticated drone and missile threats posed by Iran. 

Sources indicate that while a final decision is pending, Italy is likely to redeploy one of its existing SAMP/T batteries to an unspecified Gulf nation, without diverting resources currently allocated to Ukraine.

The requests from Gulf countries stem from heightened concerns over the evolving crisis, which has seen Iranian forces launch retaliatory strikes on US bases and allied positions in the region. Crosetto noted the "strong concern" expressed by these nations and their urgent need to enhance defensive capabilities.