Italy says US military bases on its soil not used for Iran operations

WASHINGTON, United States — ROME — Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the United States has not been allowed to use military bases on Italian territory for operations against Iran, contradicting recent remarks by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Crosetto said Italy has acted in line with its constitution and international agreements, allowing only technical and logistical activities from its soil while refusing authorization for direct combat operations. He added that Rome had rejected any requests that crossed those limits. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government had previously stated that Italian territory would not be used for any direct military action against Iran. Tensions between Meloni and US President Donald Trump over Italy's refusal to support the military campaign have continued. Italy hosts around 120 US military facilities, including the Sigonella naval air station in Sicily and the Aviano air base in the north. A NATO official defended Rutte, saying he was illustrating how allies were applying existing bilateral arrangements. No further details on the dispute between Rome and Washington were immediately available.