“It is worrying that the military option is no longer seen as a last resort”

On 06/03/2024 our Director Prof. Narbone was interviewed by Alessandra Ricciardi for ItaliaOggi concerning the Red Sea geopolitical landscape and the growing Huthi attacks.

During the interview, Prof Narbone commented the Red Sea’s strategic position as a commercial gateway between Europe and Asia. He noted its centripetal importance to the global economy, and in particular to the Mediterranean and European commercial interests. The Houthi attacks aimed at slowing down trade, he explained, are part of an attempt by the militia to exploit the current geopolitical context, triggered by the war in Gaza, to become a key player in the so-called Iran-led ‘axis of resistance’.

Prof. Narbone went on to illustrate the fundamental role of the Italian mission Aspides and its essentially defensive nature. The risk, he cautiously warned, is to see in the future more Italian ships being targeted by Houthi attacks. In a final reflection, Prof Narbone commented the Italian Parliament’s approval of the mission ‘Levante’ and the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Prof. Narbone’s intervention reminds us of the importance of contextualising today’s events with a new lens, understanding the overall position of the Global South, its new stances and the complex process leading to the weakening of the multipolar order.

The article is available in Italian.