Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto denied the United States permission to use the Sigonella air base in Sicily after learning U.S. military aircraft planned to stop there en route to West Asia without prior authorisation amid West Asia tensions
-1774953232892_d.png "West Asia war: Italy denies United States the use of Sigonella air base")
Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto. PIC/X
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto on Monday (local time) denied the United States the use of Sigonella base. The denial came after Italy came to know of the flight plan of some US air assets, which involved landing at Sigonella before heading to West Asia, according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
However, according to the Italian newspaper, no one had requested any authorisation or consulted Italian military leaders regarding the use. The newspaper reported that the plan had in fact been communicated while the planes were already in flight.
According to La Repubblica, the checks revealed that these were not normal or logistical flights and therefore were not covered by the treaty with Italy.
Meanwhile, in early March, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in an interview with RTL radio that, "We're not at war; we don't want to go to war," as quoted by Politico.
According to Politico, Crosetto (Italian Defence Minister) himself conceded the "powerlessness" of America's European allies in a parliamentary debate. He admitted the attack on Iran had "certainly occurred outside the rules of international law" but added no government, European or otherwise, could have prevented the strikes.
The potential use of US military bases in Italy also risks becoming politically explosive in a country where the public has historically been wary of being drawn into US-led conflicts, according to Politico.
The Italian government, according to Politico, insisted that the use of bases such as Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily is limited to logistical and technical support covered by long-standing bilateral agreements.
Using Italian soil to provide support for strikes would require the government's permission, which has not been requested, Italian Prime Minister Meloni said in her comments to RTL radio, according to Politico.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is considering ending the US military campaign in Iran, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, reported The Wall Street Journal.
He indicated to aides that he is prepared to wind down military operations against Iran within a four-to-six-week timeline, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed.
This decision would likely extend Tehran's control over the vital waterway, shifting the focus to diplomatic efforts to reopen it. Trump has expressed willingness to wind down hostilities, having achieved key objectives like weakening Iran's navy and missile capabilities.
According to administration officials, the President believes the US can declare victory by achieving its "core" military goals without being bogged down in a protracted maritime clearance mission, reported The Wall Street Journal
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