Tension in the Middle East reached a new critical threshold on the night of March 11-12, 2026 when, shortly after 11pm local time, a drone struck Camp Singarathe military base in Erbil which hosts the Italian contingent in Iraqi Kurdistan. According to initial analyses, the drone, (one shahedand not a missile as thought) was probably not directed inside the base, but would have lost altitude and ended up against a military vehicle. Although material damage was recorded to some infrastructures and logistical means, in the last few hours Defense Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed on Crosetto also said he was in contact with the Chief of Defense Staff and the COVI Commander for updates. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that it is not clear whether it was an Iranian missile or pro-Iranian militias, and that the investigations are still ongoing.
The attack occurred in the context of the dangerous regional escalation which sees Iran intensifying pressure against the USA and its allied countries within the Gulf. But does the Erbil base count as Italian territory? And what are the military implications of a direct attack on one of our garrisons abroad?
What is Camp Singara and what we know
Camp Singaraan Italian military base, is located in Iraqi Kurdistan (on the border between Syria, Türkiye and Iran), near Erbil airport. It is a compound inserted in a larger military area that also hosts US forces.
The Italian contingent has been there since 2014 for the “Prima Parthica” mission, training local Kurdish security forces (the Peshmerga) at the request of the Iraqi government against ISIS and monitoring the movements of terrorists in the desert and surrounding mountains.
Simply put, the Erbil contingent is there with the aim of fighting jihadist terrorism. But not only that: this Italian hub is also fundamental for monitoring the crisis between Iran and the forces of the Coalition against Daesh, an international alliance born in 2014 with the aim of defeating the Islamic State which has more than 80 partners between nations (including Italy) and international organizations (EU and NATO first and foremost).
Does the Erbil base count as Italian territory?
We tend to think that military bases abroad are Italian national territory.
But I’m not. Like embassies, they enjoy immunity and inviolability, but they are not “pieces of Italy”, geographically speaking.
The Italian base is located on Iraqi territory following a series of bilateral agreements (Status of Forces Agreement) which grant the use of the area, but sovereignty remains with the host state, i.e. Iraq.
Is Italy required to react?
Since it is not national territory, an attack on the base does not automatically trigger a declaration of war or the obligation for a full-scale counteroffensive.
According to theArticle 51 of the UN CharterItaly has the right (but not the obligation) to respond in immediate self-defense if the attack is underway, to protect the lives of soldiers. However, being part of the coalition – and therefore of an international mission – every response must first be agreed with allies and the host government.
The Italian government has decided to opt, at least for the moment, for de-escalation and passive protection.
