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.
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.
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.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence and e...
Afghan and Russian businesses signed 15 trade agreements worth $103 million in Kabul on Thursday during a visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Al...
Rising demand for air cargo and expanding international aviation networks are opening up new trade opportunities for Central Asia and the South Cau...
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning at this year's COP31 summit, saying the climate crisis iss advancing faster than governments' efforts to contain it.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence and energy high on the agenda. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held talks focused on peace, trade and regional cooperation.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
Iran will not let a single particle of its enriched nuclear material leave the country, and any new U.S. attack would be met with strikes on distant American bases, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei has said.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence and energy high on the agenda. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held talks focused on peace, trade and regional cooperation.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is stepping down amid reports linking him to a woman suspected by U.S. authorities of spying for China, throwing the future of the $4 trillion chipmaker into uncertainty.
Tajikistan is urging regional allies to step up support for its border with Afghanistan following a series of deadly armed incidents. Despite building more than 80 new border outposts, Dushanbe says it needs further assistance to secure its southern frontier.
Eight people have been killed and at least 17 injured after an apartment building collapsed into a neighbouring construction site in Brooklyn, New York, as rescuers continued searching the rubble for possible survivors.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for facilitating talks between Russia and Ukraine, but warned that any foreign troops deployed in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets by Moscow.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment