Italian aircraft hit in attack on Saudi Arabian air base

An Italian aircraft was hit during attacks on an air base in Saudi Arabia, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Friday, Anadolu reports.

Crosetto said Saudi Arabia’s Ta’if air base, where Italian personnel are present as part of the anti-ISIS (Daesh) Operation Inherent Resolve, “was the target of several attacks,” according to Italy’s ANSA news agency.

“During the attack, an Italian F-2000 aircraft was hit. It was inside the base, in a remote area. There is no other damage to vehicles or infrastructure used by our personnel,” Crosetto said, adding that no personnel were harmed.

He said he asked to be provided with updates on the situation, the condition of their personnel, and possible operational options.

Crosetto added that he had been reassured that all security measures to protect military personnel had already been put in place some time ago.

“The situation is being followed with the utmost attention, with the aim of ensuring the full protection of our personnel and operating with the necessary responsibility,” he said.

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Separately, the Italian Navy said the frigate Carlo Bergamini, deployed as part of the European Union’s Operation Aspides, escorted the Italian merchant vessel Jolly Oro through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in a northbound transit.

The navy said the escort was carried out in response to the security requirements of commercial shipping in the area and was part of the tasks assigned to naval forces participating in Operation Aspides.

The operation was described by the navy as a “concrete, timely signal” of the importance of maintaining a high level of attention to the safety of commercial shipping in the region.

Saudi Arabia has faced a series of missile and drone attacks attributed to the Houthis in recent days amid escalating regional tensions.

Fighting between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis has also intensified since early July.

The renewed clashes have ended a period of relative calm that had largely held since a UN-brokered truce took effect in April 2022.

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