Statement by Palazzo Chigi

The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, expresses her strong condemnation of today's events in southern Lebanon, where an Italian convoy belonging to UNIFIL, and clearly identifiable as such, was the target of warning shots fired by the Israeli army.

Italian military personnel are present in Lebanon under a mandate received from the United Nations Security Council and they act in the interest of maintaining peace. It is therefore completely unacceptable that personnel operating under the UN flag be put at risk by irresponsible actions such as those of today, which are in clear violation of UN Resolution 1701.

Israel must clarify what happened and, in this regard, President Meloni awaits the results of the Israeli Ambassador to Rome being summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation today, at the initiative of the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani.

The ceasefire agreed overnight between Iran, the United States and Israel is an opportunity that must be seized to also bring an end to the war in Lebanon. Hezbollah's decision to drag the nation into this conflict was irresponsible, but Israel's continuous attacks in Lebanon, which have already resulted in too many deaths and an unacceptable number of displaced persons, must cease immediately.

Italy once again firmly reiterates the need to ensure the safety of Italian soldiers and the entire UNIFIL contingent.