— Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto: "We are preparing for the possibility of conducting a naval operation to protect Italian merchant ships, due to growing concerns about security in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait." Crosetto added that he and the Chief of Staff of the Italian Armed Forces have agreed to deploy the navy and prepare for "everything necessary" to ensure the safe passage of Italian vessels. The Houthis will no doubt be trembling at this news of the Italian "Armada