Italy on maximum alert after Iran’s attacks on Israel
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Italian Interior Ministry sources, quoted by Italian national news agency ANSA, said after a national public safety and security committee meeting in the wake of Iran’s attack on Israel that the main risk to Italy was posed by so-called lone wolves.
The main risk to national security comes from the potential actions of lone wolves, said the Viminale sources, after the meeting of the National Committee for Public Order and Security convened by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, in the aftermath of Iran’s first ever direct attack on Israel, using some 300 drones and missiles that were 99% shot down. Italy’s security apparatus is also paying great attention to irregular migratory flows to intercept potentially dangerous subjects, the sources said. In this regard, they stressed, controls remain in place at the eastern border.
Italy is on maximum alert for potential security threats after Iran’s attacks on Israel at the weekend, with the list of sensitive sites that have to be kept a particularly careful eye on being updated.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi oversaw a meeting of the national order and public security committee, with the heads of the nation’s police forces and intelligence agencies, on Monday.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, meanwhile, will report on the situation to a joint session of the Lower House and Senate foreign affairs committees Monday evening.
On Sunday Premier Giorgia Meloni chaired a video conference meeting of the G7 Heads of State and Government during which a joint declaration “unequivocally” condemning the attack was adopted.
“We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security,” said a statement released by the Italian duty presidency of the G7.
“With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilization of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided. “We will continue to work to stabilize the situation and avoid further escalation. In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives.
“We will also strengthen our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need”.
