Italy suspends defence cooperation deal with Israel

Italy's government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of a defence cooperation deal with Israel, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday, citing the conflicts in the Middle East.

Meloni's right-wing government has been one of Israel's closest allies in Europe, but in recent weeks has criticised Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Those affected have included Italian troops serving there under a United Nations mandate.

"In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel," Meloni was quoted as saying in Verona, nothern Italy, by Italian news agencies.

Read: US, Iran may resume war talks this week despite port blockade

A defence ministry source said one of the consequences is that Italy will no longer cooperate with Israel on military training.

Meloni took the decision on Monday with her foreign and defence ministers, Antonio Tajani and Guido Crosetto, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A spokesperson for Israel's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Along with Meloni, British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves also said on Tuesday that she was "very frustrated ‌and angry" over what she said was the United ​States' failure to have ​a clear exit plan or ⁠objectives for the war ​in Iran, according to ​The Mirror newspaper.

Read More: Trump criticises NATO over Iran in meeting with alliance's boss

"This is a war that we did not start. ​It was a war ​that we did not want. I ‌feel ⁠very frustrated and angry that the US went into this war without a ​clear ​exit ⁠plan, without a clear idea of what ​they were trying to ​achieve," ⁠Reeves told the newspaper.

"And as a result, the ⁠Strait ​of Hormuz is ​now blocked," she added.

Italy and Britain are part of several NATO countries that have resisted supporting the US military campaign against Iran, denying US military planes use of their airspace or declining to send naval forces to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz for energy tankers. This has prompted verbal onslaughts from US President Donald Trump, who has called the alliance a "paper tiger".

Further, when asked whether he would reconsider US membership in the alliance after the conflict, Trump said the issue was "beyond reconsideration".