Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has sent a navy frigate to assist a Gaza-bound flotilla, after organisers said several of their boats had been targeted by multiple Israeli drones off the coast of Greece, AFP reports.

“To ensure assistance to the Italian citizens on the ‘Flotilla’… I spoke with the Prime Minister and authorised the immediate intervention of the Italian Navy’s multi-purpose frigate Fasan, which was sailing north of Crete as part of Operation Safe Sea,” Crosetto said in a statement posted by the ministry on X.

“The vessel is already en route to the area for possible rescue operations”, he said.

Crosetto expressed “the strongest condemnation” of the “attack” on the flotilla using “drones by currently unidentified perpetrators”.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he had asked Israel to ensure the safety of “Italian citizens, along with members of parliament and MEPs” among the pro-Palestinian activists.

The ministry had already informed Israel that “any operation entrusted to Israeli forces must be conducted in compliance with international law and the principle of absolute caution,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Minister Tajani has asked the Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv to gather information and to reiterate its previous request to the Israeli government to guarantee the absolute protection of the personnel on board,” it added.