Rome Breaks Rank: Italy Suspends Defense Pact with Israel Amid Hormuz Crisis

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

In a move that signaled a deepening rift between European powers and the current military strategies in the Middle East, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Tuesday that Italy is suspending its long-standing defense cooperation agreement with Israel.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event in Verona, Meloni confirmed that her government has decided to halt the automatic renewal of the bilateral pact.

The agreement, originally signed in 2003 and ratified in 2005, serves as the primary legal framework for the exchange of military equipment, joint technology research, and high-level industrial cooperation between the two nations.

The suspension marks a significant shift for Meloni, who has faced mounting domestic pressure and legal challenges from civil society groups regarding Italian arms exports. While the agreement has historically been renewed every five years, Meloni cited the “current situation”-a reference to the expanded conflict involving Iran and Lebanon, as the primary driver for the freeze.

“In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel,” Meloni told reporters.

She emphasised that the move is part of a broader effort to advance peace negotiations and stabilise a region that has been “within a step of the point of no return.”

Beyond the defense freeze, Meloni used the Verona appearance to issue an urgent plea for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

While the U.S. and Iran have signaled a potential return to talks in Islamabad, the ongoing naval blockade and Iranian “toll” demands continue to paralyse the waterway.

Meloni highlighted a specific economic anxiety often overshadowed by oil prices-agriculture.

“We must make every possible effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for us,” she stated, adding that “Clearly, not just for fuel, but also for fertilizers, another key element for the agricultural sector we are discussing today.”

Italy is currently working with a UK-led coalition of more than 30 nations to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait, though Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has maintained that Italy will not deploy naval assets without a formal UN mandate.

The announcement comes at a time of visible tension between Rome and the Trump administration. On Monday, Meloni broke diplomatic decorum to issue a statement of solidarity with Pope Leo XIV, calling President Trump’s recent social media attacks on the Pontiff “unacceptable.”