Italian official denies Italy sent warships toward Lebanese coast

Chief of Staff of the Italian Ministry of Defense Admiral Pinelli Mantilli denied claims on Thursday stating that an Italian warships had been send towards the Lebanese coast, noting that “the only warship in the region is the rocket launcher ‘Andrea Doria’, which was sent within the framework of the United Nations mission in South Lebanon.”

Speaking from India to TV channel Ray News Sky 24, Admiral Mantilli said that the Italian forces in the region have raised their alert level in case any military strike against neighboring Syria occurred.

An Italian news report said earlier that two Italian warships were sailing closer toward offshore Lebanon to protect Italy's soldiers participating in a UN peacekeeping mission there.

 Italy currently has some 1,100 soldiers in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

The ANSA news agency reported that a frigate and a torpedo boat-destroyer left Italy's southeastern coast on Wednesday and were headed to offshore Lebanon to beef up protection of the soldiers in case of stepped-up conflict in Syria. Lebanon borders Syria.


AP/LBCI