In March, Italian army commander Luciano Portolano announced that a drone attack targeting the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait struck a hangar, destroying a "remotely controlled aircraft" belonging to the Italian air force.

While General Portolano did not specify the type, military aviation specialized publication Aviationist identified it as a US-made MQ-9A Predator-B unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The aircraft was part of the Araba Fenice task force, operating under the Italy-Kuwait joint command, with a mission to support operations against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria.

Corriere della Sera, Italy's most widely read daily, on 30/6, citing sources familiar with the matter, revealed that the Italian Ministry of Defense had previously assessed that aircraft stationed in Kuwait could become targets if conflict erupted in the Middle East. Consequently, discussions were held regarding measures to protect the deployed forces.

One option considered was to evacuate the aircraft from Kuwait to prevent damage in the event of an attack on the base. However, the Italian Ministry of Defense believed this move could be perceived as a hostile act by Iran. As Italy was not a belligerent, it decided to avoid any actions that could draw it into the ongoing conflict.

"Following a series of consultations, the Italian military decided to stand still, leaving the aircraft in its original position. The MQ-9A, valued at 34 million euro (approximately 39 million USD), remained at Ali Al Salem and was completely destroyed in Iran's 15/3 attack," Corriere della Sera reported.

The Italian Ministry of Defense has not commented on this information.

The Italian Air Force had purchased a total of five MQ-9A aircraft from the US for reconnaissance and intelligence missions. One of these was destroyed in an accident in 2019. General Portolano had described the MQ-9A stationed in Kuwait as "an indispensable weapon for combat operations, deployed at the base to ensure operational continuity."

"If confirmed, this information suggests Italy's determination not to be drawn into conflict, even to the extent of accepting the risk of losing a valuable asset like the MQ-9A UAV," commented David Cenciotti, editor of Aviationist.

The destruction of the Italian drone was not the only damage reported at the Ali Al Salem base during the Middle East conflict.

Satellite images taken in March revealed that four UAV hangars at the base were hit, and at least one Typhoon fighter jet was damaged. Many structures, including logistics areas and office buildings, were also destroyed.

Clash Report, an X account specializing in open-source intelligence on warfare, cited an anonymous source stating that these attacks resulted in the Kuwaiti air force losing three Typhoon fighter jets, each valued at 110-165 million USD depending on the version, with another Typhoon lightly damaged.

Italian media also reported that two Italian Typhoon fighter jets stationed at the Ali Al Salem base were damaged in Iranian attacks on 5-6/3.

"There is information that Italy deployed four Typhoons to Kuwait before the 15/3 attack; three fighter jets returned home a few days later. This indicates at least one aircraft was indeed damaged, while the other was likely lightly affected and still able to take off," Cenciotti noted.

Ali Al Salem is a strategically important military facility in Kuwait, located in the center of the country, approximately 60 km from the Iraqi border. Kuwait has invested 800 million to 1,5 billion USD over the years in the base's defense capabilities.

Commercial satellite images captured by Airbus in early June showed an aircraft and UAV hangar at the airport destroyed and charred. Two impact craters also appeared nearby. This reportedly resulted from an Iranian attack conducted in late May, in retaliation for a US airstrike on the port city of Bandar Abbas.

"Kuwaiti air defense intercepted the projectile, but debris still fell on the base. The incident injured five Americans, including regular military personnel and defense contractors. One MQ-9 Reaper drone was destroyed, and another was seriously damaged," an anonymous source told Bloomberg following the incident.

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Aviationist)