A wave of alarm has swept across Italy after fishermen discovered a mysterious metallic cylinder floating off the coast of Lampedusa, a small Italian island south of the mainland. According to La Repubblica, the object, measuring about five meters in length and one and a half meters in diameter, bore Hebrew inscriptions and the emblem of Israel’s Space Administration. The unusual find immediately set off speculation that the cylinder could be linked to a recent satellite launch carried out by Israel, raising fears of military debris falling into the Mediterranean.
According to the report, the incident began with loud booms echoing through the sky, startling island residents. Hours later, fishermen aboard the vessel Andrea Doria reported seeing a large cylindrical object near Lampione islet, a small rocky outcrop west of Lampedusa. The discovery prompted concern not only among locals but also within Italy’s broader security services. Once notified, the Coast Guard dispatched a patrol boat to the area, ordering crews to maintain visual surveillance while awaiting further technical analysis. Authorities later reassured the public by confirming that the cylinder does not contain explosives or radioactive material, reducing immediate safety risks but not eliminating suspicions about its origin.
Speculation over the identity of the object has multiplied. Some experts have suggested that it could be debris from Israel’s “Ofek 19" military satellite, which was launched the previous Tuesday from an undisclosed location. Others argue that it might be an auxiliary fuel tank from an aircraft, possibly detached during maneuvers in Mediterranean airspace. While none of these hypotheses have been confirmed, the uncertainty has amplified local unease, especially on an island already accustomed to being at the crossroads of international tensions due to NATO radar facilities and frequent military activity in surrounding waters.
The political reaction was swift. Giacomo Sferlazzo, president of the Pelagia Mediterranee association, criticized the silence of national institutions, demanding immediate clarity and once again calling for Lampedusa’s demilitarization. He warned that the island was being forced into the role of a frontline outpost without the consent of its inhabitants. His comments echoed longstanding concerns among locals who feel burdened by both the weight of migration crises and the pressures of international defense interests.
Sicilian lawmakers added their voices. Regional deputy Ismaele La Vardera urged the government to disclose information and pressed the regional president to convene a special assembly session. He insisted that Sicily must not become complicit in supporting what he described as conflicts involving foreign powers. Fellow parliamentarian Dolores Bevilacqua of the Five Star Movement described the discovery as an “unsettling coincidence,” pointing to earlier reports of Israeli reconnaissance aircraft in the area and the imminent departure of the Sumud Flotilla from Catania bound for Gaza. She announced that she would be filing an urgent parliamentary question to Italy’s Defense Ministry.
For his part, Mayor Filippo Mannino appealed for calm and patience. He underlined that investigations were continuing and stressed the importance of awaiting verified conclusions before fueling speculation. Mannino suggested that while the incident deserved careful scrutiny, it should not become a source of panic for island residents, many of whom rely on fishing and tourism and are already under strain from broader regional issues.