Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin have discussed the security situation in the Red Sea, Report informs referring to Pravda website.

According to the Italian military department, the dispatch of the multipurpose frigate Virgilio Fasan, originally scheduled for February 2024 as part of the European operation, has been postponed to the coming days.

On December 24, the frigate should pass the Suez Canal, the Ministry of Defense noted.

After the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, Yemeni Houthi rebels announced that they would launch strikes on Israeli territory and would not allow ships associated with it to pass through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave was terminated.

According to a statement issued by Defense Minister Austin on December 18, the US authorities and several other states intend to launch an operation in the Red Sea to ensure freedom of navigation and protect ships in light of attacks by the Houthis. The participants in the operation should include Bahrain, the UK, Spain, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and France.