Italian lawmakers approve role in EU mission to protect ships after an Italian destroyer is attacked

ROME (AP) — Italian lawmakers have approved the country’s participation in an EU naval mission to protect cargo ship in the Red Sea from attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen threatening maritime traffic. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told lawmakers before the vote Tuesday that the mission, launched last month, is strictly defensive, but that Italian ships would have the power to defend themselves. On Saturday, the Italian destroyer Caio Duilio shot down a drone launched by Houthis in a strait between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa. The Iranian-backed Houthis have waged a campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in protest of Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas, launched in retaliation for Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7.