Escalating conflict grounds flights as Crosetto awaits reopening of airspace.
Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto is reportedly stranded in Dubai with his family following a dramatic escalation in Middle East hostilities that led to the widespread closure of regional airspace.
The minister, who travelled to the United Arab Emirates on a civilian flight on Friday evening for personal reasons, had intended to pick up his family and return to Rome on Saturday afternoon.
However, the suspension of international flight services has left him among dozens of Italian citizens currently unable to depart the Gulf hub.
The travel disruption was triggered by a significant joint military operation by the United States and Israel against targets in Iran early Saturday morning.
This was followed by retaliatory Iranian drone and missile strikes, some of which targeted regional hubs in the UAE and Bahrain.
Reports from Dubai indicated high tension as air defence systems were activated, with some debris falling near the Fairmont The Palm hotel.
The security situation forced major carriers, including Italy’s ITA Airways, to cancel all flights to and from Dubai until at least Sunday.
Political debate
The minister’s presence in Dubai during the crisis has sparked a domestic political debate in Italy.
The opposition Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) used the incident to criticise premier Giorgia Meloni’s government, claiming that Crosetto’s situation and the timing of the US-Israeli strikes are evidence of Italy’s “international marginality.”
They argued that the government was not adequately briefed on the military operations by its allies, leaving the country’s defence chief caught in a combat zone during a personal trip.
Despite being physically distant from Rome, government sources confirmed that Crosetto participated via videoconference in an emergency summit at Palazzo Chigi on Saturday to monitor the conflict.
Among the Italians stuck in Dubai is the singer BigMama who shared emotional updates on social media describing the fear of hearing missiles overhead.
As of early Sunday morning, Italian authorities continue to monitor the situation, awaiting the stabilisation of flight corridors to facilitate the return of the minister and other stranded nationals.
Photo credit: Pierre Teyssot / Shutterstock.com.
