ROME, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The Italian government has recently denied the United States permission to use the Sigonella military air base in Sicily due to the absence of prior notification and required authorization, Italian media reported Tuesday.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto made the decision several days ago after being informed of a U.S. flight plan, though the matter was not made public at the time, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
Italian Air Force authorities learned that several U.S. bombers planned to land at Sigonella before proceeding to the Middle East without prior notification or consent from the Italian side. The flight plan was reportedly communicated only after the aircraft had already taken off.
Preliminary checks by Italian authorities indicated that the flights were neither routine nor logistical, and therefore fell outside the scope of bilateral agreements governing the U.S. use of military bases in Italy. Such operations require prior authorization and appropriate political and military consultations, the report said.
Italy hosts multiple air and joint-use military bases used by U.S. forces under bilateral defense agreements and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) framework. Sigonella, located in eastern Sicily, serves as a key strategic hub for U.S. operations in the Mediterranean.
Following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Crosetto said the United States could continue to use bases in Italy for routine operations under existing agreements, while any activities beyond that scope would require parliamentary approval.
Similar concerns have emerged elsewhere in Europe. Spain recently closed its airspace to flights linked to U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran and barred the use of U.S. bases such as Rota and Moron de la Frontera, citing opposition to what it views as a unilateral conflict in violation of international law. ■
