Gulf States ask Italy for SAMP/T missile defence system

 ROME - Four Gulf states have urgently requested advanced air defence systems from Italy; including the Franco-Italian SAMP/T battery, amid escalating conflict between Iran, Israel, and the US, Italian officials confirmed.  

 

 Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament that Italy had received requests for both air defence and anti-drone systems. Urgent requests have been made by Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain. “All the Gulf countries have asked us for help at this time,” Crosetto said, announcing that a support package could be delivered by decree-law “as quickly as possible.”

 

 Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has authorised rapid action by the armed forces and is understood to be considering a parliamentary procedure before any aid is formally dispatched. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini confirmed that Meloni will address parliament directly on the crisis, though it is from his own Lega party that the reservations have emerged. “There are international agreements to be respected, such as NATO. I think our help should be directed towards the kind of support we have given to Ukraine – logistical support, without sending soldiers,” a Lega source said. 

 

 The government intends to move in coordination with EU partners, following the same legal mechanism used for Ukraine aid after the Russian invasion four years ago: a declaration of a "state of emergency for intervention abroad" that would provide the basis for the measure before passing to parliamentary scrutiny. The first possible date on the agenda is the Council of Ministers meeting of March 6, though government sources indicate that date remains uncertain.

 

 The centrepiece of any package would be the SAMP/T: the surface-to-air system jointly assembled with France, which intercepts and neutralises aerial threats using missiles, and is the only European-made platform capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. Italy has already supplied two batteries to Kyiv – one of which was destroyed by Russian forces – and current availability is severely limited. According to Il Sole 24 Ore, of Italy’s remaining four, one is deployed in Estonia and would stay in eastern Europe to ensure global security; two are stationed in Sabaudia to defend Italian territory; and a fourth is based in Mantua. Rome also has radars, electronic intelligence tools, naval assets, and spy planes it could offer, though these represent a less significant contribution. 

 

 “It is a very delicate issue, considering that these capabilities are already heavily strained and limited in light of European needs and the support provided so far to Ukraine,” Crosetto said. 

 

 A separate and highly sensitive issue is whether Italy would grant the U.S access to Italian military bases for offensive operations against Iran – a question that has sharpened following Tehran’s warning that defensive actions by European countries would be considered an act of war. Crosetto declined to pre-empt any decision: “The use of our bases by the USA is a government decision. When they ask us, we will answer.” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani struck a similarly cautious note, saying Italy would evaluate any American request on its merits, while stressing that an Iranian nuclear bomb would be unacceptable to Italy. 

 

 Beyond military logistics, the government has also convened to address broader risks posed by the escalating conflict: energy security concerns have been raised given Italy's exposure to Gulf supply routes, and officials are monitoring the situation facing Italian nationals in the region. A consular task force has been deployed to Oman following reports of scams targeting Italian citizens attempting to return home amid the disruption.