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Italy Rejects NATO Chief's Claim on U.S. Use of Bases for Iran Operations
Italian officials stated that U.S. forces did not use Italian military bases for strikes against Iran. The foreign and defense ministries issued formal denials after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte made the claim earlier in the week.
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Italian officials on Thursday rejected claims that U.S. forces used military bases in Italy to conduct operations against Iran. The Iranian foreign minister thanked Italy for the clarification and said a clear, formal denial was necessary, according to U.S. military publication Stripes.
" The ministry added that Italy only authorizes flights provided for by treaties and that exclude kinetic activities. Rutte had said in a Fox interview earlier in the week that about 500 American military flights took off from bases in Italy in support of Operation Epic Fury.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto previously confirmed that some U.S. bombers were denied landing at Sigonella after requesting permission only while already in the air. Surveillance drones from the base conducted intelligence missions over the Persian Gulf area before operations shifted to Jordan in April, according to ItaMilRadar.
P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft also operated from the base before and during the period of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and later deployed to Djibouti. A statement from the prime minister's office in late March said Italy was acting in full compliance with existing international agreements and that each request is examined case by case.
