Italy Blocks US from Using Sigonella Air Base
The denial was triggered after a US flight plan revealed a planned stopover at the strategically significant Sicilian base. The flight plan was communicated to Italian authorities while the aircraft were already airborne — a move that raised immediate red flags among officials in Rome.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto personally blocked the request, according to the news agency, which noted that no formal authorization had been sought through proper channels and that the Italian military command had been left entirely out of the loop.
Subsequent checks by Italian authorities confirmed that the flights in question did not qualify as routine or logistical operations covered under existing treaty agreements between Italy and the United States — further justifying Rome's decision to deny access.
The incident signals a rare and pointed moment of friction between the two NATO allies, with Italy drawing a firm line over the unsanctioned use of one of the alliance's most strategically positioned air installations in the Mediterranean.
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