Italy readies navy to protect its shipping amid Bab el-Mandeb tensions

ROME, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Italy is preparing for a possible naval mission to safeguard its merchant shipping as security concerns mount in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday.

Crosetto said he and Italy's chief of defence staff had agreed to mobilise the navy to prepare "whatever is necessary" to guarantee the secure transit of Italian vessels, arguing that delays in responding to mounting maritime risks could have direct consequences for the economy and consumers.

Fears for shipping in the Red Sea have surged this month after the Iran-aligned Houthis seized control of parts of Yemen's coast that overlook the Bab el-Mandeb, threatening Saudi oil exports rerouted from the Strait of Hormuz.

"I have decided ... to activate the Italian navy to prepare what is necessary to guarantee the safe transit of Italian ships," Crosetto said in a statement.

"We cannot allow bureaucratic delays in decision-making to aggravate an already complex situation, with direct consequences for our economy and the lives of our citizens."

He did not spell out what measures were being considered or what naval assets might be sent to the area.

Crosetto said that disruptions to major shipping lanes would drive up transport costs, delay deliveries and ultimately push higher prices onto families and businesses.

"Every economic crisis hits the most vulnerable people hardest, putting social cohesion and the country's stability at risk," he said.

The defence minister also highlighted the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure, including data cables and energy links.

"For a major maritime nation such as Italy, monitoring and protecting the seas, both above and below the surface, means safeguarding its security, its prosperity and its future," he said.

"The defence ministry and the Italian navy will continue to protect the sea, intervening with determination whenever necessary to safeguard national interests and the security of Italians," he said.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Andrew Heavens)