Italy warship sent to E Mediterranean

The Italian Navy has dispatched a warship to the eastern Mediterranean that could be used to evacuate the Italian forces from Lebanon in case the conflict in neighboring Syria spills over the border.

The153-meter long Andrea Doria destroyer “will monitor the situation” near the coast of Lebanon, a spokesman for Italy’s Navy said on Friday.

“This is the best possible asset to act quickly in case of an evacuation,” he added.

The Italian Navy said it had also sent the Maestrale frigate to patrol off the coast of Lebanon.

About 1,100 Italian soldiers are stationed in the peacekeeping United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Around 10,000 troops take part in UNIFIL.

The measure by the Italian Navy comes as the United States is preparing for launching a military strike against Syria.

The war rhetoric against Damascus intensified after foreign-backed opposition forces accused the government of President Bashar al-Assad of launching the chemical attack on militant strongholds in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21.

A number of Western countries, including the United States, France, and Britain, were quick to launch a major publicity campaign to promote war against Syria.

Damascus has vehemently denied the accusations, saying the attack was carried out by the militants themselves as a false-flag operation.

The Italian government has ruled out taking part in any possible military action against Syria without a mandate from the United Nations Security Council.

Earlier in late August, Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino warned that a military strike on Syria would risk escalating into “a global conflagration,” saying that diplomacy is the only solution to crisis in the Arab country.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.