ROME, June 24 (Reuters) - Italy on Wednesday pushed back against remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that hundreds of U.S. aircraft had taken off from American bases in Italy to support military operations against Iran, saying Rome had authorised only technical and logistical flights.
Rutte, speaking to Fox News television, cited Italy as an example of European support for the U.S. and said 500 U.S. planes had taken off from U.S. bases in Italy "to support Epic Fury", Washington's name for the war
it launched alongside Israel.
The remarks caused a political row in Italy, where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has repeatedly said it did not authorise the use of Italian territory for direct military action against Iran.
In a statement, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Italy had acted in full compliance with its constitution, international treaties and agreements governing allied bases on its soil.
"As already clarified in parliament, the government authorised exclusively technical and logistical, non-kinetic activities," the minister said, adding that Italy had refused requests that fell outside those limits.
U.S.-ITALY TENSION
Ties are already strained between Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump following a public spat last week over Italy's refusal to support the U.S. military campaign against Iran and Trump's personal attacks on the Italian leader.
Crosetto expressed surprise that Rutte, who "has nothing to do with Operation Epic Fury", had given an account that conveyed a "totally misleading message" by confusing authorised support flights with combat-related operations.
Italy hosts about 120 U.S. military facilities including the Sigonella naval air station in Sicily and the Aviano air base in northern Italy.
In response to a request for comment, a NATO official said Rutte had only "highlighted how Allies including Italy carried out their existing bilateral agreements in the context of basing and overflights."
Opposition leaders in Italy seized on Rutte's comments, demanding fresh explanations from the government.
Five Star Movement leader and former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Meloni should clarify the matter in parliament, while Nicola Fratoianni of the Green and Left Alliance said either the government had misled lawmakers or Rutte "has suffered a heatstroke".
(Reporting by Giulia Segreti in Rome)
