ISIS militants. Italy will allow armed U.S. drones to depart from an air base in Sicily as part of defensive missions against ISIS in North Africa. Photo: Screenshot, Fox News Sunday.

JNS.org – Italy will allow armed U.S. drones to depart from an air base in Sicily as part of defensive missions against the Islamic State terror group in North Africa, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Tuesday.

“If it is a matter of operations against terrorists, against potential Islamic State attackers, there is a close relationship between us and the other allies, above all the Americans,” Renzi said in an interview with RTL radio, Reuters reported.

Renzi said Italy will authorize defensive military strikes on a “case by case” basis.

An Italian defense ministry official said Monday that authorization to take off from the Sigonella naval air station near Catania, Italy, will only be granted if the mission’s goal is to protect personnel.