Italy suspends defence agreement with Israel amid rising Middle East tensions

Italy has suspended a long-standing defence cooperation agreement with Israel, marking a sharp shift in relations as tensions in the Middle East escalate.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the decision was taken “in light of the current situation”, signalling growing unease in Rome over Israel’s recent military actions, particularly in Lebanon.

The move follows a series of incidents that have strained ties, including Israeli forces firing warning shots near Italian troops serving under a United Nations mandate in Lebanon and damaging a vehicle.

While no injuries were reported, the episode sparked diplomatic protests and heightened concern among Italian officials.

Political agreement

Behind closed doors, Meloni is understood to have agreed the suspension with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.

For years, Italy had been one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe. However, recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which have reportedly killed more than 2,000 and injured at least 6,000 civilians, according to the UN, have drawn unusually direct criticism from Rome.

Tajani recently described the attacks as “unacceptable”, reflecting a noticeable hardening in tone.

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At home, opposition parties had been pressing the government to act. Elly Schlein welcomed the decision, saying it was overdue and urging further steps at the European level.

The defence agreement, first signed in 2003 and active since 2006, covered cooperation on military training, technology and the exchange of defence equipment. It had been set to renew automatically.

Diplomatic tensions have escalated in recent days, with both countries summoning each other’s ambassadors, underlining how quickly relations have deteriorated.

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