A potential diplomatic rift is emerging between the United States and Italy. After Spain announced it had closed its airspace to U.S. military aircraft involved in the war in Iran, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported Tuesday that Italy barred the United States from using the major Sigonella base in Sicily.
The base is one of the most important U.S. facilities in the Mediterranean, serving primarily as an operational logistics hub for the U.S. Navy in the region.
According to the report, the decision was made several days ago by Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto but kept secret until now. Italy’s chief of staff, Gen. Luciano Portolano, informed Crosetto that the United States had failed to notify Italy in advance about aircraft landings related to its military operation in Iran, in violation of standard procedures between the two countries when the activity is not routine logistics.
Portolano was told by the Italian Air Force that some U.S. flights were planning to land at Sigonella en route to the Middle East. However, the United States neither requested prior approval nor consulted with Italy, as required under bilateral defense agreements. Only after the aircraft were already in the air did U.S. officials inform Rome, prompting Italy to deny them permission to use the base.
Crosetto instructed Portolano to notify the United States in real time that landing would not be authorized. The move risks triggering a crisis with the Trump administration, despite close ties between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government and Washington. Meloni is considered one of Trump’s closest allies among European leaders and is said to maintain regular contact with him.
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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
(Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo)
At the same time, Meloni has recently faced criticism after Trump did not inform her in advance of his intention to launch military action against Iran, causing political embarrassment despite their close relationship.
Sigonella serves as a central hub for U.S. operations in the Mediterranean, hosting dozens of units and thousands of personnel supporting the U.S. Sixth Fleet. The base regularly handles refueling aircraft, surveillance planes and other military flights.