Houthi strike damages Italian Eurofighter jet at King Fahd air base in Saudi Arabia

Overnight strike at Ta'if air base

During the night leading into 18 September 2026, Yemeni Houthi forces launched multiple attacks against King Fahd Air Base in Ta'if, located in western Saudi Arabia roughly 70 kilometres from Mecca. An Italian Eurofighter F-2000 fighter jet stationed inside the base in a decentralised parking area was struck and damaged. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed that no Italian military personnel were injured and no other national equipment or infrastructure suffered damage.

Tonight I personally followed, with maximum attention and in contact with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Luciano Portolano, the evolution of the situation in Saudi Arabia, and in particular at the Ta'if air base, which was the subject of several attacks and where Italian personnel involved in Operation Inherent Resolve are present. No Italian soldiers are involved. In the attack, an Italian F-2000 aircraft was hit, which was inside the base and in a decentralized area. There is no other damage to vehicles or infrastructure used by our personnel.

Saudi air defence units reported intercepting a drone south of Mecca during the same wave of strikes, though Houthi military representatives denied targeting holy sites. The assault followed a mass gathering in Sana'a broadcast by Al Masirah TV, where supporters displayed weapons and portraits of leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi.

Italian deployment in the Arabian peninsula

Italy maintains a military contingent in the region under Operation Inherent Resolve, which began countering Daesh in 2014, and Task Force Air - Arabia, deployed in the second half of March 2026. The task force, commanded since 1 September 2026 by Colonel Simone Agostino Rocca, comprises between 300 and 400 personnel across Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Its equipment includes four Eurofighter F-2000 jets, an E-550A CAEW airborne early warning aircraft, C-130J transport planes, an AN/TPS-77 radar, and ACUS-E anti-drone systems. The incident marks the second loss of Italian military aviation hardware in the Gulf during 2026, following the destruction of a Reaper MQ-9A drone by an Iranian drone at Kuwait's Ali Al Salem base in March.

Former Chief of Defence Staff General Vincenzo Camporini noted that military airfields cannot be completely shielded without building underground caverns. Camporini stated that dispersal remains the standard operational procedure to reduce risks in open base environments.

Maritime security and European response

Following the strike, Crosetto convened meetings with military chiefs and contacted European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas to request additional naval vessels and financial contributions for the European Union's Aspides mission. Italy indicated readiness to deploy a second naval vessel to protect the Bab el-Mandeb strait. On 17 September 2026, the Italian Navy frigate Carlo Bergamini escorted the Italian cargo ship Jolly Oro northward through the strait toward the Suez Canal.

Based on the available information, I do not believe that the Italian plane was necessarily the primary target. It is more likely that the attack on the Ta'if air base was part of the Houthi escalation against Saudi Arabia. However, the Houthis are aware of the international military presence in the kingdom and therefore the attack can be read as a message addressed to multiple interlocutors, not only to Riyadh, but also to those who support it or are considering doing so.

Maged al-Madhaji, president of the Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies, observed that the strike increases the perceived cost of international military engagement alongside Saudi forces in the region.