Rutte Reveals 500 US Aircraft Departed From Italian Bases; Government Denies Combat RoleNATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has ignited a political crisis in Italy by revealing that 500 US military aircraft departed from American bases in Italy to support military operations against Iran, contradicting repeated assurances from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that Rome was not participating in the conflict.Speaking to Fox News ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington on June 24, Rutte said Rome allowed 500 US military aircraft to take off from American bases in Italy during the 40-day war that began in late February, describing it as an example of European support for the campaign code-named Operation Epic Fury. Rutte stated: "If you look at Italy, 500 US planes took off from US bases in Italy to support Epic Fury." The revelation prompted immediate and fierce pushback from Italy's Defense Ministry and sparked demands from opposition parties for urgent parliamentary clarification. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto insisted that Italy had authorized only "technical and logistical, non-kinetic activities" in full compliance with the Constitution and international treaties. Tajani stated that Rutte's remarks constituted "a storm in a teacup," asserting that "the reference was not to war flights, but only flights for logistics operations" and that all activities had been conducted "in absolute compliance with the rules."  A NATO official told ANSA that Rutte had only wanted to stress how allies, including Italy, had implemented existing bilateral treaties during the war as he sought to rebut the narrative that they had failed to help. NATO Spokesperson Allison Hart clarified: "The Secretary General highlighted how Allies, including Italy, carried out their existing bilateral agreements in the context of basing and overflights. The kind of support he referred to relates to logistics or technical support." However, the distinction between logistical support and combat operations failed to mollify Italian opposition leaders, who seized on the revelation as evidence that Meloni had misled parliament. Angelo Bonelli, leader of the Green and Left Alliance, described Rutte's comments as "extremely serious" and said they exposed "Meloni's lies," stating: "The Italian government lied to parliament at the time, keeping 500 American flights hidden. The fact is that Italy participated in the war against Iran, a crazy war."  Peppe De Cristofaro, leader of the Green and Left Alliance, called the situation "very serious" and demanded that Meloni, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto respond immediately to parliament. Giuseppe Provenzano of the Democratic Party stated: "According to Rutte, the bases in Italy played a massive role in supporting Trump and Netanyahu's illegal war against Iran. Giorgia Meloni had given assurances that Italy would not be involved."  Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Five Star Movement, said Rutte's comments had shattered "the fairy tales of the government and its cheerleaders," declaring on Facebook: "Rutte's words confirm what we've always maintained. 500 planes departed from Italy for an illegitimate war in Iran, a war which Netanyahu dragged Trump into and which has severely damaged the Italian economy." The controversy reflects broader tensions between the Trump administration and European NATO members over participation in Operation Epic Fury. Trump has repeatedly criticized the alliance for not adequately supporting the United States in its war against Iran and has threatened to leave NATO or punish some members over their decisions not to allow US forces to use their military bases to launch strikes.  Italy hosts approximately 120 US military facilities, including major bases at Sigonella in Sicily and Aviano in the northeast. The bilateral agreements governing these bases, which date to 1954, allow logistical and non-combat operations but require separate authorization for combat activities. The Meloni government has consistently maintained it never authorized combat flights, yet the revelation that 500 aircraft departed from Italian bases has shifted the political landscape dramatically. Ph: helenaupnorth / Shutterstock.com

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has ignited a political crisis in Italy by revealing that 500 US military aircraft departed from American bases in Italy to support military operations against Iran, contradicting repeated assurances from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that Rome was not participating in the conflict.Speaking to Fox News ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington on June 24, Rutte said Rome allowed 500 US military aircraft to take off from American bases in Italy during the 40-day war that began in late February, describing it as an example of European support for the campaign code-named Operation Epic Fury. Rutte stated: "If you look at Italy, 500 US planes took off from US bases in Italy to support Epic Fury."  The revelation prompted immediate and fierce pushback from Italy's Defense Ministry and sparked demands from opposition parties for urgent parliamentary clarification. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto insisted that Italy had authorized only "technical and logistical, non-kinetic activities" in full compliance with the Constitution and international treaties. Tajani stated that Rutte's remarks constituted "a storm in a teacup," asserting that "the reference was not to war flights, but only flights for logistics operations" and that all activities had been conducted "in absolute compliance with the rules."  A NATO official told ANSA that Rutte had only wanted to stress how allies, including Italy, had implemented existing bilateral treaties during the war as he sought to rebut the narrative that they had failed to help. NATO Spokesperson Allison Hart clarified: "The Secretary General highlighted how Allies, including Italy, carried out their existing bilateral agreements in the context of basing and overflights. The kind of support he referred to relates to logistics or technical support." However, the distinction between logistical support and combat operations failed to mollify Italian opposition leaders, who seized on the revelation as evidence that Meloni had misled parliament. Angelo Bonelli, leader of the Green and Left Alliance, described Rutte's comments as "extremely serious" and said they exposed "Meloni's lies," stating: "The Italian government lied to parliament at the time, keeping 500 American flights hidden. The fact is that Italy participated in the war against Iran, a crazy war."  Peppe De Cristofaro, leader of the Green and Left Alliance, called the situation "very serious" and demanded that Meloni, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto respond immediately to parliament. Giuseppe Provenzano of the Democratic Party stated: "According to Rutte, the bases in Italy played a massive role in supporting Trump and Netanyahu's illegal war against Iran. Giorgia Meloni had given assurances that Italy would not be involved."  Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Five Star Movement, said Rutte's comments had shattered "the fairy tales of the government and its cheerleaders," declaring on Facebook: "Rutte's words confirm what we've always maintained. 500 planes departed from Italy for an illegitimate war in Iran, a war which Netanyahu dragged Trump into and which has severely damaged the Italian economy." The controversy reflects broader tensions between the Trump administration and European NATO members over participation in Operation Epic Fury. Trump has repeatedly criticized the alliance for not adequately supporting the United States in its war against Iran and has threatened to leave NATO or punish some members over their decisions not to allow US forces to use their military bases to launch strikes.  Italy hosts approximately 120 US military facilities, including major bases at Sigonella in Sicily and Aviano in the northeast. The bilateral agreements governing these bases, which date to 1954, allow logistical and non-combat operations but require separate authorization for combat activities. The Meloni government has consistently maintained it never authorized combat flights, yet the revelation that 500 aircraft departed from Italian bases has shifted the political landscape dramatically. Ph: helenaupnorth / Shutterstock.com