Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 5, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 1, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleItaly’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto sharply condemned the U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran as a clear breach of international law, stressing Italy was caught off‑guard and must now manage the fallout. Italy will bolster regional defense with air and naval support for Gulf and Cypriot partners.
ROME, March 5 (Reuters) - The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran which sparked the latest Middle East crisis were clearly in breach of international law, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday.
It was the strongest criticism to date from Italy's right-wing administration, which has sought to establish close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump since he took office last year.
The decision to launch the strikes last weekend "of course fell outside, needless to say, the rules of international law", Crosetto told the lower house of parliament.
He said Italy was being forced to respond to a conflict that the United States and Israel had initiated without warning their allies and partners.
"It is a war that was started without anyone in the world knowing. One in which we, like the rest of the world, find ourselves having to manage (the consequences)," said Crosetto, who is a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party.
Italy has said it will send air defence aid to Gulf countries and naval assets to Cyprus to help them protect against Iranian strikes launched in response to the U.S.-Israeli attacks.
(Reporting by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Crispian Balmer)
He stated that the attacks violated international law and criticized the lack of warning to allies.
Italy said it would send air defence aid to Gulf countries and naval assets to Cyprus.
He criticized them for initiating military action without informing their allies or partners.
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