Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto announced on 18/9 that one of the nation's Typhoon fighter jets was struck by Houthi forces at Saudi Arabia's King Fahd military airport on 17/9. This marks the first time Houthi forces have hit a European nation's fighter jet.

Crosetto stated that no Italian personnel were affected, nor was there other damage to vehicles or infrastructure used by the Italian military. Italian officials have not disclosed the extent of the Typhoon's damage. However, some sources suggest the Italian fighter jet may have been completely destroyed.

An Italian Typhoon fighter jet in a photo released on 10/6. Photo: Italian Ministry of Defense

King Fahd is a key Saudi Arabian air force base, home to three Typhoon fighter jet squadrons and three F-15 heavy fighter jet squadrons. While located in western Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea, and farther from Iran than other regional military facilities, the airport remains within range of Houthi forces in Yemen.

Italy deployed 4 Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in March to support Gulf allies in their defense against retaliatory attacks from Iran. Regional nations and Italy formed a combined task force, utilizing assets such as E-550A early warning aircraft, Typhoon fighter jets, C-130J transport aircraft, KC-130J refueling aircraft, AN/TPS-77 surveillance radar, and ACUS-E anti-UAV systems.

This incident is not the first time Italian forces have sustained equipment losses due to the Middle East conflict. An Iranian strike on Kuwait's Ali Al Salem military airport on 15/3 destroyed one Italian MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and damaged one of the 4 Typhoon jets stationed there. The three undamaged aircraft returned to Italy days later, while the fate of the damaged jet remains unknown. During the same 15/3 attack, Iran also reportedly destroyed three Typhoon fighter jets and damaged one similar aircraft belonging to the Kuwaiti air force.

Location of King Fahd airbase. Graphics: Guardian

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine multirole fighter jet, developed collaboratively by the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain, and launched in 2001. The cost of each Typhoon aircraft ranges from 110-165 million USD, depending on the variant and maintenance package. Before the Middle East conflict escalated, the Italian air force operated 93 Typhoon fighter jets: 79 F-2000A multirole combat versions and 14 TF-2000A trainer aircraft, with an estimated production cost of 123 million USD.

Nguyen Tien (According to Aviationist, AP, Reuters)