On the dossier of Houthi threats to maritime navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto decides to clarify and in a note states: «Italy is not at war. Parliament has not been “excluded” from anything. The Quirinale has not been kept in the dark about anything».
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In the note, Crosetto defines the headline of Fatto Quotidiano of September 19 (“Italy at war without telling Italians and the Quirinale”) as «false, offensive, misleading and very serious» and claims that the Italian military presence in Saudi Arabia has never been secret. The minister recalls having reported several times to Parliament, as well as the Chief of Staff, the commander of Covi, the Foreign Minister, and the Undersecretaries of Defense.
The minister: I did not downplay the attack on the Italian Eurofighter
Crosetto also rejects the accusation of having downplayed the attack on an Italian Eurofighter. «I personally followed it, communicated it, and requested operational assessments on the safety of our personnel,» he states, adding that he followed the developments of the attack and checked the conditions of the involved military personnel.
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According to the minister, Fatto Quotidiano is building «a case that does not exist», putting together «different missions and decisions made according to precise and regular procedures» to create a political reconstruction not supported by the facts.
Crosetto also comments on the presence of Italian ships in the Red Sea, recalling that they operate within Aspides, a European Union mission with a specific mandate. «The ships belong to the Italian Republic and the Navy,» he states. «Defense is not, and will never be, a minister’s toy,» Crosetto concludes, emphasizing that military activities take place within «laws, mandates, procedures, and precise responsibilities» and that decisions go through Parliament. He finally defines as a «political distortion» the accusation that the government and minister have brought Italy into war secretly.
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