Italy's minister calls for more ships to protect Red Sea navigation

AI Summary

Italy’s defense minister called for an increased naval presence in the Red Sea to safeguard shipping lanes amid escalating conflict and Houthi advances. The strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait is under threat, raising concerns for merchant navigation and regional security.

By Angelo Amante ROME, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Italy's defence minister on Friday called for a stronger naval presence in the Red Sea to protect merchant shipping amid concerns over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital waterway threatened by the widening Middle East conflict. The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have made rapid advances in recent weeks along the Red Sea coast, further complicating routes in a region that also includes the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic had already dwindled because of the U.S.-Iran war.