Libya military intervention may worsen situation-Italy minister

* Italy says some 5,000 Islamic State fighters in Libya

* Long-delayed unity government must request military support

* Rome government will seek parliamentary approval

By Steve Scherer

ROME, March 9 (Reuters) - Italy warned on Wednesday that Western military intervention in Libya could worsen an already volatile situation in which some 5,000 Islamic State (IS) militants in the country are seeking allies from local forces.

Italy would be prepared to provide military forces only at the request of a long-delayed Libyan national unity government and after parliamentary approval, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told parliament.

Referring to IS by its Arabic acronym Daesh, Gentiloni said the government would not be tempted by the "drum roll of war".

"To whomever uses the threat of Daesh, which is a real threat that we must defend ourselves against, to invoke military interventions, we respond that military interventions are not the solution," Gentiloni said. "They could even make the problem worse."

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that the Pentagon last month gave the White House a plan for up to 40 air strikes against IS in Libya but that plans are on hold pending diplomacy.