Khaberni - Reuters quoted a knowledgeable source on Tuesday stating that Italy has denied permission for US military aircraft to land at "Sigonella" Air Base on Sicily island, in a step reflecting Italy's apprehension about being drawn into the ongoing military confrontation in the Middle East between the United States and Israel on one side, and Iran on the other.
The Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera" reported that American bombers intended to stop at the base, located east of Sicily, for refueling or logistical support before heading to the Middle East, but the Italian authorities did not grant them landing permission.
The newspaper mentioned that the Italian refusal was justified by "Washington not submitting a prior formal request" and not consulting the Italian military leadership, which constitutes a violation of the bilateral treaties regulating the use of US bases on Italian territory.
Sigonella Air Base is one of the most strategic bases of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the Mediterranean, and it is used by the United States as a major logistics support center.
Political Pressures
The source that Reuters quoted - who requested anonymity - did not specify the number of aircraft or the exact timing of the incident, while the Italian Ministry of Defense remained silent about this news until the time this report was prepared.
Politically, the opposition parties (center-left) are pressuring the government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to adopt a firmer stance in preventing the use of Italian bases for any hostile activities against Tehran, warning of the repercussions of Rome's engagement in an overall regional conflict.
In response to these pressures, the right-wing government affirmed its commitment to sovereign transparency, indicating that it would resort to parliament to obtain an official mandate if Washington submits direct requests to use the Italian military facilities for combat missions in the Middle East.
Similar Move
These developments come a day after Spain announced the closure of its airspace to all aircraft involved in the US-Israeli war on Iran, and its decision to prevent Washington from launching attacks on Tehran from its bases.
Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles told reporters on Monday that "the use of bases and Spanish airspace is of course not allowed for operations related to the war in Iran."
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had prohibited the United States from using the military bases Rota and Moron for operations against Iran following the outbreak of war. Spain and the United States have jointly managed these bases located in Andalusia in the south of the country for decades.
Sanchez described the war in the Middle East a few days ago as "senseless, brutal, and illegitimate," stating that it involves a scenario "much worse" than the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
