Drone Strike Hits Italian Base Amidst Iran Conflict

An Italian military base in Iraqi Kurdistan was hit by an airstrike overnight, with no reported injuries. The attack comes amid tensions from the Iran conflict initiated by the U.S. and Israel. Italian soldiers in Erbil had been forewarned of aerial threats, ensuring their safety during the incident.

An Italian military base in Iraqi Kurdistan experienced an airstrike overnight without resulting in any injuries, according to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's announcement on Thursday. The base in Erbil is at the center as tensions atypically high, following the United States and Israel's recent conflict with Iran.

Prime Minister Meloni extended her solidarity to the soldiers stationed at the base, who are part of the roughly 300 Italian troops deployed to the region for training purposes. While the exact perpetrator of the strike remains unknown, the defense ministry initially reported it as a missile strike, later identifying it as a drone that accidentally struck the base.

Colonel Stefano Pizzotti, the base's commander, confirmed that military personnel had taken cover in bunkers after being alerted to aerial threats hours before the strike. Despite the completion of the air raid alert, assessments of the damage to infrastructure are ongoing as officials work to secure the area.

(With inputs from agencies.)