Rutte: Italy was widely used in Operation “Epic Fury,” around 500 American aircraft departed from there for Iran

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the Alliance played an important role in supporting Operation “Epic Fury” in Iran, emphasizing that military bases in Italy were used “massively.”

In an interview with Fox News, he said that around 500 American aircraft took off from Italian territory as part of this operation. Meanwhile, according to him, a total of between 4,000 and 5,000 air missions were recorded across Europe.

Rutte said that the allies made various European bases available “country by country,” which, he said, turned Europe into a “force projection platform” for the United States of America.

He singled out the case of Italy, saying that the use of military bases there was particularly high. He also mentioned Romania, where civilian airports in Bucharest were partially used by military tanker aircraft, something that also affected commercial air traffic.

According to Rutte, he will hold talks with US President Donald Trump regarding the overall contribution of NATO allied countries, especially with regard to increasing defense investment.

He stressed that investment levels by member states are “very high” and have gone beyond initial expectations, significantly strengthening the Alliance.

“When you look at the amount of investment NATO countries are now making in their defense, it is impressive,” he said.

Rutte also stated that the pressure exerted by Trump on the allies has contributed to increased military spending in Europe and Canada, making NATO stronger and more capable of guaranteeing collective security.

He added that this trend has also had positive effects on industry and the economy, creating jobs on both sides of the Atlantic as part of a “defense dividend.”