Rome/Washington, March 31 -- Italy has denied the US military permission to land its aircraft at its airbase in Sicily for onward deployment to West Asia, citing a technical procedure, making it the second European nation after Spain to actively deny Washington its airbase for military uses amid the ongoing war in Iran, further straining NATO's ties with Washington.
The decision centres on a base in eastern Sicily, where reportedly US bombers were planning a stopover enroute to the region. However, Italian authorities denied the request owing to a technicality, noting that Rome had not been formally consulted - a step mandated under bilateral agreements governing Washington's use of military bases on Italian soil.
Prime Minister Giorgia M...