Dozens of U.S. military families voluntarily leaving bases in the Middle East have been arriving at U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples in Italy since Thursday. The families are arriving on flights from Bahrain and staying in Naples temporarily before moving to their end destination. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)

NAPLES, Italy — Dozens of military families who have left military installations in the Middle East have arrived at a Navy base in Italy, as the war between Israel and Iran continues and concerns linger of potential attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities.

Many of those dependents have arrived at Naval Support Activity Naples from Bahrain on military flights that began Thursday and continued over the weekend.

The families are staying temporarily in Naples before flying to their end destination, said Tiffany Myrick-Woodley, director of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society at NSA Naples.

The Relief Society and other volunteer organizations are greeting them at the base’s air terminal and briefing them on available services, such as lodging, transportation and other help they may need, she said.

The Relief Society is offering $300 grants to help with expenses, and free merchandise from its thrift store for evacuating families, Myrick-Woodley said. She noted that some families had stopped by to pick up toys for their children.

“It’s 24 to 48 hours that they are here, but if they have to stay longer for one reason or another, they know what resources are available to them to make them a little bit comfortable,” she said.

It wasn’t clear Monday how many more flights were expected to arrive in Naples and how long the operation would continue.

Base officials directed Stars and Stripes’ queries to U.S. Central Command, which said to contact the Pentagon.

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and other volunteer organizations at U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, have been assisting military families voluntarily leaving U.S. bases in the Middle East. The Relief Society is offering $300 grants to help with travel expenses, among other services. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)

The Pentagon said further questions should be addressed to the White House, which had not responded as of early Monday.

On Friday, Defense Department officials pointed to a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on his official X account the same day saying the U.S. had taken steps to protect its forces.

Last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the voluntary departure of military families in the Middle East, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

Under the authorization, military dependents can fly anywhere in the U.S. at government expense for up to six months, according to guidance issued by Naval Support Activity Bahrain officials. In 2023, about 1,200 military dependents were on the base.

The island is less than 100 miles across the Persian Gulf from Iran. It is home to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet.

On Sunday, NSA Bahrain officials announced that only mission critical personnel should report for work at the base, while directing all personnel to restrict their movements to essential tasks.

That announcement came as Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group operating in Iraq, said it would resume attacks on U.S. troops in the region if America intervened in the conflict, Reuters reported the same day.

Meanwhile, U.S. forces in Iraq shot down three drones headed toward a base northwest of Baghdad housing American military personnel, AP reported Saturday.

In Naples, volunteers worked over the weekend and into Monday to distribute water, snacks and other items to families. Diapers, wipes, coloring books, crayons and phone chargers also were needed.

The NSA Naples community response was so great that the USO stopped accepting donations Saturday so items could be distributed, according to a post on the group’s official Facebook page the same day.

That outpouring of support and assistance was meaningful to Sabrina Ryals Cicchi, a Bahrain military family member.

“From a Bahrain family with pets … you guys have been amazing,” Ryals Cicchi said in a comment on the USO Naples Facebook page. “We so appreciate everything, and the process was seamless landing (in Naples) to (the) hotel.”

Stars and Stripes reporters Lara Korte in Germany and Shannon Renfroe in Bahrain contributed to this report.