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An Italian F-2000 Eurofighter aircraft was hit during attacks on Saudi Arabia's Taif air base, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto announced Friday, though he said no Italian military personnel were harmed.
"Tonight I personally followed, with the utmost attention and in contact with the Chief of the Defense Staff, Gen. Luciano Portolano, the evolution of the situation in Saudi Arabia, and in particular at the Taif air base, which was the target of several attacks and where Italian personnel are present as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. No Italian military personnel were involved," Crosetto said, according to ANSA.
"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.
Crosetto said he had asked Portolano, along with Joint Operations Command chief Lt. Gen. Giovanni Maria Iannucci and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Antonio Conserva, to provide a further assessment of the evolving situation, the condition of Italian personnel, and possible operational options, following earlier assessments conducted in previous weeks.
He said he had been reassured that all security measures to protect military personnel had already been in place for some time.
"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," Crosetto said, adding that he expected an initial update shortly during a meeting at the Defense Ministry.
Italy has deployed a Task Force Air at Taif's King Fahd Air Base to support regional air defense and surveillance, consisting of four F-2000A Eurofighters, an E-550A Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) aircraft, and C-130J/KC-130J transport capabilities.
The Eurofighters provide the fighter component, while the CAEW contributes airborne early warning, surveillance, and command-and-control capabilities.
The Taif strike follows a similar episode in March, when Iranian attacks on Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait damaged two Italian F-2000s deployed there with Task Force Air Kuwait.
One of those aircraft reportedly suffered extensive damage and remained non-operational, while the other was repaired and returned to Italy; the same attacks destroyed an Italian MQ-9A Reaper drone.
Contemporary Italian reporting attributed the Typhoon damage to shrapnel from the attacks on the base.
The two deployments serve different missions: the Kuwait detachment supports Operation Inherent Resolve and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities over Iraq, while the Saudi deployment carries a stronger air-defense and regional surveillance role, but both incidents point to a similar vulnerability: aircraft operating from fixed bases can be exposed to attack even when positioned away from the immediate target area.
It remains unclear whether the Taif incident will lead to changes in aircraft dispersal, protection measures, or Italy's broader deployment posture; for now, Rome is continuing to assess the situation rather than considering withdrawal.
Saudi Arabia has faced a series of missile and drone attacks attributed to Yemen's Houthi movement in recent days amid escalating regional tensions.
Fighting between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis has intensified since early July, ending a period of relative calm that had largely held since a U.N.-brokered truce took effect in April 2022.
Separately, Crosetto said Italy will deploy warships to ensure safe passage for its commercial vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, adding that Rome would not wait for a joint EU decision on the matter.
"We have the capabilities to protect the passage," Crosetto said, warning of severe economic consequences if the waterway became impassable.
The Bab el-Mandeb links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and forms one of the world's busiest shipping corridors between Europe and Asia, carrying critical oil, gas and container traffic to and from the Suez Canal.
The strait's significance has been underscored in recent weeks as the Houthi movement launched a rapid offensive that brought the entirety of Yemen's western Red Sea coast, including several strategically located islands, under its control.
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