A minor earthquake in Sicily generated panic, with locals fearing an airstrike. Italian authorities intervened to clarify the situation.

In Sicily, locals in Cefalu mistook a minor earthquake that occurred in the Mount Etna area for a bombing, panicking and calling emergency services to ask if the island was under attack. This panic is amplified by tensions in the Middle East, considering that Sicily hosts American and NATO bases.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto assured parliament that the use of these bases is regulated by treaties, but they did not rule out the possibility of deploying air defense systems in the region.

Sicily, which hosts over 2,000 American military personnel, has been under pressure due to fears that it could become a target, leading to the evacuation of some locals. MEP Giuseppe Antoci emphasized that Sicily must remain a place of peace and dialogue.