Italy’s defense minister announced that, in order to guarantee the safe passage of this country’s commercial ships through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, he will dispatch warships.

Guido Crosetto stressed that Rome will not wait for a decision by the European Union to implement this plan.

He warned that if the Bab al-Mandab Strait becomes impassable, it will have very severe economic consequences, and that Italy has the ability to protect the security of shipping along this route.

The military tensions created by the Houthi rebels, supported by the Islamic Republic, have disrupted the safe and free movement of commercial vessels in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.