Italian F-2000 Fighter Hit in Attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ta’if Air Base
An Italian F-2000 military aircraft was hit during a series of attacks targeting the Ta’if air base in Saudi Arabia, where Italian personnel are stationed as part of an international anti-Daesh operation.
Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the aircraft was located in a remote section of the base when it was struck. No Italian military personnel were injured, and no other vehicles or infrastructure used by the Italian contingent were damaged.
Crosetto said he had requested an assessment of the aircraft, the condition of personnel and possible operational measures, while security arrangements at the base were already in place.
The incident comes amid a series of missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia that have been attributed to the Houthis. Regional tensions have also increased as fighting in Yemen has intensified.
Separately, an Italian Navy frigate has been involved in escorting commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as part of the European Union’s maritime security operation.
