The Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait, which also hosts the Italian contingent, has once again come under Iranian drone fire. Fortunately, the Italian contingent was unharmed. However, there have been material losses. Tehran's drone struck a warehouse, shattering the drone inside: a Predator/Reaper reconnaissance drone from the Italian Air Force task force. That aircraft was "essential for carrying out operational activities and had remained deployed to ensure the continuity of operations," warned Chief of the Defense Staff, Luciano Portolano. This reflects the rationale for redeploying Italian soldiers in these tense times: training missions are effectively suspended, and therefore there is no reason to keep too many soldiers at the bases, exposing them to unnecessary risks. At Ali Al Salem, where there is also an American contingent, there are currently a few dozen Italian soldiers, compared to the 321 present before the outbreak of the war in Iran . "The military personnel had already been reduced in recent days, leaving only essential personnel at the base," explained Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, who specified: "The loss of the aircraft has no impact on the safety of our soldiers deployed in the area." There is no withdrawal, therefore, and Italian missions continue, albeit with significantly reduced numbers.

LIVE:

9:50 a.m. – EU: "The energy crisis may worsen; we are ready to take short-term measures."

"We are aware that we must not only monitor the situation but also prepare ourselves because the situation could worsen further. We must be ready to implement short-term measures to try to help Member States," said EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen upon his arrival at the EU Energy Council, when asked about the energy impact of the war in the Middle East. The EU is not "that dependent on fuel supplies, both gas and oil, from the area, so we don't have a security problem, but we do have a price problem," he emphasized.

9:00 a.m. – Kallas: "A UN initiative in Hormuz, like the Black Sea wheat initiative, is being considered."

"Over the weekend, I spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to see if it's possible to have an initiative in Hormuz like the one in the Black Sea for Ukraine's grain ," EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said as she arrived at the Foreign Affairs Council. The closure of the Strait poses a serious threat to oil supplies, especially to Asia, but the situation is also problematic "with regard to fertilizer," Kallas said . "And if there is a shortage of fertilizer this year, there will also be a shortage of food next year."

7:50 a.m. – Israel: "Targeted ground operations begin in southern Lebanon."

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that they have begun "limited and targeted ground operations" against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. These "limited and targeted ground operations" target "important Hezbollah strongholds" and aim to "strengthen defensive outposts" in southern Lebanon, the IDF said in a statement. "This activity is part of broader defensive efforts to establish and strengthen a forward defensive position, which includes dismantling terrorist infrastructure and eliminating terrorists operating in the area," the IDF added, explaining that the plan is to "create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel."

7:30 a.m. – Trump: "I asked London to intervene, but they refused."

Donald Trump expressed frustration with Britain's response to his call for action in Iran. The tycoon, who spoke with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday, said that "the United Kingdom might be considered the number one ally, the one with the longest history and so on, yet when I asked them to intervene, they refused." And as soon as "we essentially eliminated Iran's threat capability, they said, 'Well, then we'll send two ships.' And I said, 'We need these ships before we win, not after we win,'" Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times. The US president also warned that NATO faces a "very negative" future if its allies fail to contribute to securing the Strait of Hormuz in the conflict against Iran. "It's perfectly normal for those who profit from this strait to help ensure that nothing untoward happens there," the US president declared in an interview with the Financial Times, recalling that Europe and China are heavily dependent on Gulf oil, unlike the United States.

7 a.m. – Trump: "We're talking to Iran, but they're not ready for a deal."

The US is in talks with Iran as the war enters its third week, but Tehran is not yet ready for a ceasefire agreement. "Yes, we are talking to them," President Donald Trump replied to reporters on Air Force One, without specifying the nature of the talks, when asked about ongoing diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict that has spread across the Middle East. "But I don't think they're ready. They're getting pretty close," Trump added. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied talks with the US were underway.

(Unioneonline)

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