Hundreds of Italian schools hit by threats in suspected bomb hoax

What the report says

Italian officials say hundreds of schools across the country received bomb-threat emails in what they believe was likely a coordinated hoax rather than a real security emergency. Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara told Italian television that around 300 schools were affected and suggested the pattern pointed to a cyberattack. The warnings were reported in cities including Rome, Naples, Vicenza, Florence, Pisa and Trieste, among others.

Some schools were evacuated as a precaution on Wednesday, but reports from several regions indicated the alarm was lifted quickly and pupils were allowed back inside after checks found no immediate danger. In Umbria, regional president Stefania Proietti said inspections so far had shown no problems and that police were moving quickly to verify each report. Italian reports also said a number of head teachers had received the threats in recent days.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the government was monitoring the situation closely and had convened top ministers and intelligence officials. She said the messages appeared aimed at causing alarm rather than reflecting a concrete risk. The BBC also noted that similar hoax threats recently disrupted airports and airlines in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, and that parallel incidents were reported at schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though no connection has been confirmed.