The United States has launched a new attack against a Houthi outpost in Yemen. Two US officials reported this to the Associated Press.
"American forces carried out an attack against a radar site in Yemen" around 3.45am local time on Saturday (1.45am in Italy), the US Central Military Command (Centcom) said in a statement. US President Joe Biden had threatened the Houthis with further attacks on rebel positions if they did not stop their fire in the Red Sea. And after the British and American attacks, the Houthis launched "at least one missile" which, however, did not hit any ships.
Meanwhile, after signing the first two "joint statements" (19 December and 3 January) condemning the Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, Italy withdraws from the third, signed by the United States and 9 other countries: the one that claimed responsibility for the bombings. «We work to keep tension low in the Red Sea and we are committed to the European coalition to guarantee free movement of ships in the area», they say from Palazzo Chigi, underlining that Rome was never asked to participate in the anti-military action The Houthis despite having been warned of the Anglo-American raids "several hours in advance", as underlined by the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani.
In the evening, the Presidency of the Council clarifies its position, underlining that there are no misalignments, despite different decisions: «In the face of the unacceptable behavior of the Houthis, Italy supports the operations of the allied countries, which have the right to defend their vessels, in the interests of global trade flows and humanitarian assistance."
The European Union, for its part, is ready to launch a mission with at least three ships in the area. The scheme is the usual one. The ways of Washington and London are contrasted with a more cautious approach from Europe, even if three countries of the Union (Germany, Denmark and Holland) have signed the latest joint document proposed by the USA, that of the bombings. For Italy - which had not already joined Prosperity Guardian, the military alliance launched by the US in December to respond to the Houthi offensive - there were no conditions for participation in the missile raids: «The Constitution does not allow it without a debate in Parliament", underlined Tajani. The new joint declaration was therefore not signed. The government's goal is to avoid a further fire in the Red Sea, with two conflicts already underway (Russia-Ukraine and Hamas-Israel).
«I would not like to open a third war front at this moment. I would like to achieve the safety of the passage through the Red Sea without opening a further front", the words of the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto. Italy, in the year of its presidency of the G7, aims to cool tensions, weaving a web of relations aimed at intensifying the diplomatic effort: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is expected to visit Turkey in the next few days, a fundamental player in the Middle Eastern scene.
But the blockade of traffic through the Suez Canal is of great concern due to the serious repercussions on trade and the economy. «We are committed - explained the Foreign Minister - to guaranteeing freedom of navigation, we participate in the European mission Atalanta and we will also ask that it have broader competences or give rise to a new European mission to guarantee the free movement of goods».
(Unioneonline/D)
