ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on Thursday said that the Italian military will temporarily be withdrawing from a military base in Erbil amid ongoing regional conflict, though noting that the process was underway before the base in question was struck by a missile the night prior.

"A retreat was already planned" before the attack, Crosetto told Italian state media.

No casualties were incurred during the Wednesday missile strike, which comes amid relentless bombardment of the Kurdistan Region by Iran and Iran-affiliated militia groups in Iraq since the beginning of a US-Israeli military offensive against the country in late February.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani spoke with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday regarding the matter, expressing his condemnation and stressing the importance of the federal government reining in pro-Iran armed groups operating in the country.

"The Iraqi government must fulfill its responsibility to protect diplomatic envoys and coalition forces and no longer allow illegal groups to endanger the country's security and interests," read a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

The unchecked activities of such factions has long been a criticism directed from Erbil toward Baghdad, with President Masoud Barzani having warned that the Kurdistan Region’s "patience has limits."

Italy’s Joint Operations Headquarters (COVI), the top operational command of the Italian military, oversees its contingent in Erbil, which is part of the international coalition against ISIS and trains Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

Italy had 300 troops stationed in Erbil as part of the US-led coalition against ISIS to train Kurdish Peshmerga forces, according to the defense ministry. 

The Italian withdrawl comes as other European partner forces pull out their troops and reduce diplomatic staff due to the current dangers, with Germany on Wednesday having announced the temporary withdrawal of its consular staff from the Kurdistan Region capital.