Italy rejects Rutte claims of 'massive' support for war on Iran
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has rejected comments by Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte that Rome allowed US aircraft to use Italian air bases during the war on Iran.
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Rutte pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s statements that several EU allies had failed to support the US-Israeli assault, saying Italy had allowed “500 US planes” to take off from Italian bases.
“Country after country, ally after ally after ally have made their bases available for Epic Fury,” Rutte said, suggesting that some 4,000 to 5000 planes had taken off from European bases during the war.
“If you look at Italy, 500 US planes took off from US bases in Italy to support Epic Fury,” he said.
“This is massive.”
Italy's Meloni rejects Rutte claims of ‘massive’ Italian support for Iran war
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Chigi Palace, in Rome, Italy, 7 May 2026 (Reuters/Remo Casilli)
