Crosetto blocks US stopover at Sicilian air base as request did not follow standard procedures and flight plan was communicated while aircraft were already in flight.Italy's defence minister Guido Crosetto has directed that access to the Sigonella air base in Sicily be denied to a number of US military aircraft, Italian media reported on Tuesday.The decision reportedly took place several days ago, according to Italian news agency ANSA, citing informed sources who confirmed a report in newspaper Corriere della Sera. The move has drawn considerable attention as European nations recalibrate their positions in relation to the ongoing American military campaign against Iran. What happened Italy's chief of defence staff, General Luciano Portolano, was informed by the air force's general staff that the flight plans of certain US aircraft included a scheduled landing at Sigonella, from which they intended to depart towards the Middle East. However, no prior authorisation had been sought, nor had Italian military leadership been consulted: the flight plan was reportedly communicated to Italian authorities while the aircraft were already airborne. Initial checks confirmed that the flights in question were not routine or logistical in nature and therefore fell outside the scope of the agreements concluded between Rome and Washington. Portolano duly informed Crosetto, who issued the directive: the aircraft would not be permitted to land at Sigonella, on the grounds that they had not been authorised and that no prior consultation had taken place. Legal framework The incident highlights the structured treaty arrangements that govern American use of military facilities on Italian terrority. Earlier in March, Crosetto had set out the legal position in a post on social media in response to parliamentary questions from the opposition Movimento 5 Stelle: the use of military bases on Italian soil, particularly those of the US, is governed by agreements including the NATO Status of Forces Agreement of 1951, the Bilateral Infrastructure Agreement of 1954 as updated in 1973, and the Italy-US Memorandum of Understanding of 1995. Under these arrangements, American forces may use bases such as Sigonella for routine logistical and surveillance purposes; any use as a launchpad for combat operations requires the express authorisation of the Italian government. Broader context Since the outbreak of the war with Iran, there has reportedly been a marked increase in drone and aircraft traffic at Sigonella, though until now this had been limited to refuelling, logistics and aerial surveillance operations. The base, located in Sicily between the provinces of Catania and Siracusa, occupies a commanding position in the central Mediterranean, making it a highly sought-after staging post for operations directed at the Middle East. Italy's decision comes after Spain moved to restrict US military use of its territory in connection with operations against Iran, reflecting a broader European unease about the extent to which the continent's infrastructure is being drawn into a conflict in which its governments have not been full participants. This is a developing story... Photo credit: Sanit Fuangnakhon / Shutterstock.com  

Italy's defence minister Guido Crosetto has directed that access to the be denied to a number of US military aircraft, Italian media reported on Tuesday. The decision reportedly took place several days ago, according to Italian news agency ANSA, citing informed sources who confirmed a report in newspaper Corriere della Sera. The move has drawn considerable attention as European nations recalibrate their positions in relation to the ongoing American military campaign against Iran. Italy's chief of defence staff, General Luciano Portolano, was informed by the air force's general staff that the flight plans of certain US aircraft included a scheduled landing at Sigonella, from which they intended to depart towards the Middle East. However, no prior authorisation had been sought, nor had Italian military leadership been consulted: the flight plan was reportedly communicated to Italian authorities while the aircraft were already airborne. Initial checks confirmed that the flights in question were not routine or logistical in nature and therefore fell outside the scope of the agreements concluded between Rome and Washington. Portolano duly informed Crosetto, who issued the directive: the aircraft would not be permitted to land at Sigonella, on the grounds that they had not been authorised and that no prior consultation had taken place. The incident highlights the structured treaty arrangements that govern American use of military facilities on Italian terrority. Earlier in March, Crosetto had set out the legal position in a post on social media in response to parliamentary questions from the opposition Movimento 5 Stelle: the use of military bases on Italian soil, particularly those of the US, is governed by agreements including the NATO Status of Forces Agreement of 1951, the Bilateral Infrastructure Agreement of 1954 as updated in 1973, and the Italy-US Memorandum of Understanding of 1995. Under these arrangements, American forces may use bases such as Sigonella for routine logistical and surveillance purposes; any use as a launchpad for combat operations requires the express authorisation of the Italian government. Since the outbreak of the war with Iran, there has reportedly been a marked increase in drone and aircraft traffic at Sigonella, though until now this had been limited to refuelling, logistics and aerial surveillance operations. The base, located in Sicily between the provinces of Catania and Siracusa, occupies a commanding position in the central Mediterranean, making it a highly sought-after staging post for operations directed at the Middle East. Italy's decision comes after Spain moved to restrict US military use of its territory in connection with operations against Iran, reflecting a broader European unease about the extent to which the continent's infrastructure is being drawn into a conflict in which its governments have not been full participants. This is a developing story... Photo credit: Sanit Fuangnakhon / Shutterstock.com