Italy has suspended a defense agreement with Israel involving military equipment exchange and technology research, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Tuesday. The decision follows recent tensions where the Italian government accused Israeli forces of firing warning shots at an Italian peacekeeping convoy in Lebanon, an incident that damaged at least one vehicle, according to Al Jazeera.
Meloni stated on the sidelines of an event in Verona that "the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel." The agreement, originally approved in 2006, was set for automatic renewal every five years to facilitate cooperation in defense industries, military training, and R&D.
While Meloni's administration has historically been a close ally of Israel in Europe, the Prime Minister has recently criticized Israeli military actions in Lebanon. There was no immediate reaction from the Israeli government to the suspension announcement.
Diplomatic deadlock and maritime blockade
In Washington, Lebanese and Israeli representatives are meeting for their first direct talks in decades, a move France 24 described as "a significant and symbolic step." Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that Israel "wants to reach peace and normalisation with Lebanon."
These negotiations occur as a US naval blockade of Iranian ports enters its second day. The blockade, intended by President Donald Trump to force Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, aims to target Iranian Gulf ports by operating in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, according to the BBC.
US Vice-President JD Vance defended the move on Fox News, stating, "If the Iranians are going to try to engage in economic terrorism, we're going to abide by the simple principle that no Iranian ships are getting out, either." He added, "Well, as the president of the United States showed, two can play at that game."
China has condemned the blockade as "irresponsible and dangerous," with Beijing's foreign ministry claiming the move will "undermine the already fragile ceasefire agreement." Chinese spokesperson Guo Jiakun also denied reports that China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran, calling such claims "completely fabricated."
Despite the blockade, maritime tracking firm Kpler indicated that at least two ships using Iranian ports passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. BBC Verify further reported that at least four Iran-linked ships crossed the strait on Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron has attempted to mediate between the warring parties. Macron held telephone calls with both US President Trump and Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian, urging the resumption of negotiations that had stalled in Islamabad. Macron requested that parties commit to lifting restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz and extend the current two-week truce to Lebanon.
Pezeshkian told Macron that the "exaggeration and the lack of political will" of the US delegation prevented a deal. The Iranian leader noted that "approaches based on threats, pressure, and military actions are not only counterproductive, but also complicate problems and aggravate conflicts created by the United States."
In Gaza, the peace process faces further stagnation. Hamas has rejected a disarmament plan proposed by Nickolay Mladenov, the US-led Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza. A senior Palestinian official told the BBC that Hamas will not engage in talks on the second phase of the ceasefire deal until Israel fully implements the terms of the first phase.
"We are waiting for Mladenov to provide a clear timetable for Israel to fulfil the remaining obligations of phase one, along with guarantees to halt Israeli violations, before any discussion of phase two begins," the official stated. The official added that Palestinian factions view the issue of weapons as being tied to a comprehensive solution guaranteeing self-determination.
As the regional conflict persists, analysts note that Israel's territorial ambitions in the Middle East remain a point of contention. Some political and security elites in Israel view the defeat of Iran as a step toward a "Greater Israel" project, which includes potential expansion into parts of southern Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, according to Al Jazeera.