# Italy’s minister calls for more ships to protect Red Sea navigation

https://mins.news/en/item/64200

- Reuters, 2026-09-18 12:25 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/italys-minister-calls-more-ships-protect-red-sea-navigation-2026-09-18/?link_source=ta_bluesky_link&taid=6aad2d9ffbc2160001c2c1fe

> Italy’s defence minister on Friday urged a stronger naval presence in the Red Sea to safeguard merchant shipping, as concerns grow that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital waterway, is threatened by the widening Middle East conflict.

## Stories

- [Houthi Saudi Red Sea Conflict](https://mins.news/en/topic/houthi-yemen-saudi-red-sea-conflict-2026-08) — Markdown: https://mins.news/en/topic/houthi-yemen-saudi-red-sea-conflict-2026-08.md

## Related coverage

- [Italy presses for bigger naval force to counter Houthis in Red Sea](https://mins.news/en/item/64273) — TRT World, 2026-09-18
- [Italy to deploy warships to protect shipping through Bab al-Mandeb](https://mins.news/en/item/63564) — Al Jazeera, 2026-09-18
- [Qatar warns loss of Bab el-Mandeb access would be ‘catastrophic for the entire world’](https://mins.news/en/video/59594) — euronews, 2026-09-15