Italy has deployed the Bergamini-class FREMM frigate ITS Martinengo to the Eastern Mediterranean. It is part of a coordinated European and UK force package designed to safeguard Europe’s southeastern borders amid escalating tensions following Iranian strikes in the region.
The deployment comes as part of a broader multinational effort involving Italy, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The nations have been conducting close consultations to prevent further escalation and support regional stability, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a video statement on 7 March.
“To guarantee the security of the European Union’s borders, we have also ordered the deployment of an Italian frigate to Cyprus; an act of European solidarity, but above all one of prevention,” Meloni stated.
The Prime Minister also confirmed that Italy will provide military assistance to Gulf states, including air defence assets, to protect both allied nations and Italian citizens stationed in the region.
ITS Martinengo and Italy’s naval mission
The ITS Martinengo is a FREMM Bergamini-class frigate, a versatile warship capable of anti-air, anti-submarine, and surface warfare operations. Its deployment is intended to bolster the European naval presence near Cyprus and deter potential Iranian or proxy attacks.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told the Italian Parliament on 5 March that Italy’s armed forces would strengthen existing missions in the Middle East with additional defensive assets, including air defence missile systems and counter-drone capabilities.
The Italian Navy also maintains amphibious and logistic support vessels ready for civilian and personnel evacuations from Lebanon, if necessary.
The deployment follows a series of strikes in the region attributed to Iranian forces, which have heightened security concerns across the Eastern Mediterranean. Italy’s mission emphasizes both preventive defence and European solidarity, aligning with broader NATO and EU strategies to maintain stability in a volatile area.
