Italy has refused permission for U.S. military aircraft to use the Sigonella Air Base in Sicily en route to the Middle East, an Italian government official confirmed on Tuesday. The decision affects certain bombers that had planned to land at Sigonella last week, but their flight plans were not communicated in advance to the Italian air force, nor had the necessary landing authorizations been obtained.
Since the flights were not considered logistical in nature, they fell outside the scope of the bilateral treaty governing U.S. bases in Italy, which covers only logistical and technical use. As a result, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto denied access, noting that approval for such operations requires parliamentary authorization.
Crosetto emphasized that Italy has not blocked general access to U.S. bases. “International agreements clearly regulate and distinguish what requires specific government authorization and parliamentary approval, and what is technically authorized under existing treaties,” he stated on X.
An official from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office clarified that the denial of landing rights for the Middle East flights does not indicate a broader conflict with Washington. “Each request is carefully examined case by case, as has always been the practice,” the statement said, adding that relations with the U.S. remain “solid and based on full and loyal cooperation.”
The episode highlights the procedural and legal controls Italy maintains over foreign military use of its territory, even amid ongoing U.S. operations in the Middle East.
