Italy approved of but didn't participate in dozens of overnight military strikes across Yemen launched by the United States and the United Kingdom in retaliation for Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday. "
'We were informed by the US several hours in advance of tonight's attack'' against the Houthis in Yemen," Tajani said in Rimini during a visit .
"Italy did not participate in this attack," however. This is because we cannot carry actions of war without a prior debate in parliament," Tajani said.
Italy's government supports the attacks launched by US and UK warplanes, ships and submarines "to defend international maritime traffic," Tajani underlined.
''We have signed a document in favor of freedom of navigation'', Tajani recalled.
The Iran-backed Houthis have been carrying out missile and drone attacks on commercial ships in key Red Sea shipping route for months, which they say is a response to Israel's war in Gaza, which began after a deadly cross-border rampage by Hamas militants on 7 October.
