Italy Denies U.S. Bombers Sigonella Landing

Italy has denied U.S. military aircraft permission to land at the Sigonella air base in eastern Sicily before continuing to the Middle East, according to a source familiar with the matter. The decision followed the discovery of a U.S. flight plan for several bombers that lacked prior authorization and consultation with Italian military leaders, as required under bilateral treaties governing American installations in the country.

The incident, which occurred a few days ago, came to light through a report in the Corriere della Sera newspaper. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, confirmed the details but did not specify the number of aircraft involved or the exact timing of Rome's refusal. Italian officials learned of the plan only after the planes were already airborne, the report stated. Because the flights were deemed operational rather than routine logistical ones, they fell outside the scope of existing agreements allowing limited U.S. access to the base for technical support.

Italy's Defense Ministry declined to comment immediately on the episode. However, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto was involved...