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According to the most read Italian newspaper, the Italian Air Force Reaper remained at Ali Al Salem Air Base after Rome decided against relocating it to avoid any move that could be perceived as involvement in the war against Iran. The aircraft was destroyed there despite Italy not taking part in Operation Epic Fury.

On Mar. 15, an Iranian drone strike targeted Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, where an Italian Air Force MQ-9A Reaper (Predator B) was destroyed inside its protective shelter.

The RPA (remotely piloted aircraft), one of the six Predator B unmanned aircraft belonging to the 32° Stormo (Wing) of the Italian Air Force, homebased at Amendola Air Base, in southeastern Italy, was assigned to the Task Group Araba Fenice of the Italian National Contingent Command Air/Task Force Air Kuwait (IT NCC AIR/TFA-K) to carry out ISR (Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance) missions as part of “Prima Parthica”, the Italian contribution to the multinational campaign against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

Task Group Araba Fenice has been operating from Ali Al Salem Air Base (ASAB) in Kuwait since October 2014. Initially with the MQ-1C Predator A+ and, since January 2015, with the more advanced MQ-9A “Predator B.”

The Italian Air Force website describes the MQ-9 unmanned aircraft as follows:

The MQ-9A is a strategic-class remotely piloted aircraft system that provides long endurance at medium and high altitude, enabling high performance in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions as well as in land and maritime patrol operations, search and rescue, convoy and troop escort, and the protection of forces and installations.

Thanks to its onboard sensors and the professionalism of its flight crews and analyst personnel, the MQ-9A can detect the presence of threats or improvised explosive devices and monitor wide areas of operation, promptly sharing information with coalition partners that is useful to gain a detailed understanding of the environment of interest, thereby improving knowledge and awareness of the operational context.

According to a recent story by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, citing “authoritative sources familiar with the matter,” Italy’s Ministry of Defense had already assessed that its aircraft in Kuwait could become targets following the beginning of the hostilities in the region, and had discussed possible force protection measures.

One option considered by the Italian military was to launch or relocate the aircraft simply to prevent them from being hit on the ground.

However, even a defensive move of that kind could have been interpreted as a hostile act. Since Italy was not a party to the conflict, Rome wanted to avoid any action that could be perceived as drawing the country into the air war against Iran. Following consultations, the decision was reportedly made to keep the aircraft on the ground. As a result, the MQ-9A, worth around 34 million Euro, remained inside its shelter at Ali Al Salem and was destroyed during the Iranian attack.

Satellite imagery released by Iran shows the strike on an Italian installation at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait that destroyed an MQ-9 Reaper in its hangar and, potentially, the satellite antenna associated with the system. (29.336° 47.5334°) 1/6 pic.twitter.com/UT52W7A7cr

— Fabian Hinz (@fab_hinz) March 24, 2026

Shortly after the attack, the Italian Defense Staff released an official statement:

“This morning, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, which hosts U.S. and Italian capabilities and personnel, was the target of a drone attack that hit a shelter housing a remotely piloted aircraft belonging to the Italian Air Task Force. The aircraft was destroyed. I immediately spoke with Colonel Mangini to ascertain the condition of the Italian personnel present at the base. At the time of the attack, all personnel were safe and were not involved. I promptly informed Minister of Defense Crosetto of the incident, and I remain in constant contact with him to continuously monitor the situation of all our contingents abroad,” said the Chief of the Italian Defence General Staff, General Luciano Portolano.

The Italian Air Task Force contingent had been preventively reduced in recent days as part of the measures adopted in response to the evolving security situation in the area. The personnel who remained at the base are employed in carrying out the mission’s essential activities.

The aircraft that was hit was an indispensable asset for the conduct of operational activities and had remained deployed at the base in order to ensure continuity of operations.

The situation is being constantly monitored by the Chief of the Defence General Staff and by the Joint Operations Command (Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze, COVI), which maintain continuous contact with the contingents on the ground.

Provided the Corriere della Sera article is correct, it would mean that Italy was so determined not to be drawn into the conflict that it accepted the risk of losing a valuable asset such as the MQ-9 Reaper.

The story published by the most read Italian newspaper comes after Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto criticized NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte who said that around 500 U.S. flights had utilized American air bases in Italy during the war in Iran, a disclosure that led Tehran to accuse Rome of taking part in the conflict. Crosetto said Rutte’s comments were “random,” “inappropriate,” and “superfluous,” clarifying that Italy authorized only logistical, non-combat operations in compliance with international treaties (a topic we discussed in a previous story you can find here explaining that any support for “kinetic” missions outside the scope of existing treaties would require parliamentary approval).

An Italian MQ-9A Predator B drone at Amendola AB. (Image credit: Author) | Source: David Cenciotti

What about the Eurofighters?

While it clarifies the reason why the valuable asset was not relocated at the beginning of the U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran, the Corriere della Sera report does not provide additional details about the damage to the Italian Eurofighters also deployed to Ali Al Salem. Their status has been subject to speculation and unconfirmed reports since the aftermath of the attacks. At the time, OSINT accounts as well as some media outlets claimed that two Italian Eurofighters had been damaged, although repairable. However, those claims were never officially confirmed.

An Italian F-2000A Typhoon sits on the ramp at Alì Al Salem Air Base. (Photo: Italian Air Force) | Source: Italian Air Force

We noted that four Italian Eurofighters were reportedly deployed to Kuwait at the time of the attack and that three had returned home a few days later, suggesting that either only one aircraft had actually been affected, or that one of the two allegedly damaged jets had suffered only very light damage and was still able to fly back.

Not sure here: four Italian Eurofighters were deployed. Three returned home a few days ago. Either only one was damaged, or one of the two was only very lightly affected and could fly back home. https://t.co/IIU2Jrk5r1

— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) March 20, 2026

We reached out to the Italian Air Force, the Italian Defence General Staff, as well as the Italian Ministry of Defense, seeking an official answer. None of them responded to our multiple queries. Therefore, while as many as two Italian F-2000s were likely hit by shrapnel, the MQ-9A destroyed on Mar. 15 remains the only Italian aircraft loss publicly acknowledged in connection with the Iranian attacks on Ali Al Salem.