Italy has raised security at the US nuclear-capable air base in the northeastern town of Aviano after intelligence suggested a possible Russian-linked sabotage attempt.
The base is a key US installation in Europe, serving as a NATO hub while being primarily operated by the Italian Air Force.
Authorities flagged suspicious activity near the base in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, including small fires in nearby woods and a woman seen taking photos and videos of the area, according to Milan-based news agency Corriere della Sera.
Investigators believe the incidents may have been part of a plan to disrupt operations at the facility, a separate report from Messaggero Veneto said.
In response, regular police and Carabinieri, Italy’s national gendarmerie, stepped up patrols, while rapid-response units were placed on alert. Local officials also convened an emergency security meeting in Pordenone.
The site remains at a medium-high security status, but Italian authorities said the extra measures were mainly to reassure the local community.
The US Air Force’s 31st Fighter Wing, which operates at Aviano, said it has not received any direct threat warnings but is coordinating closely with Italian security forces.
The unit is the service’s only permanently stationed fighter arm in southern Europe, supporting NATO and US missions across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Ukraine Talk Wraps Without Progress
The Aviano alarm came the same day US President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine.
The summit ended in less than three hours with no ceasefire, no joint statement, and no progress.
Trump also dropped his call for an immediate truce, saying only that talks would continue, while Putin repeated demands that Russia’s control over occupied Ukrainian regions be recognized.
