More than 300 schools across Italy were forced to suspend classes and evacuate students on Wednesday after receiving threatening emails claiming that explosive devices had been planted on their premises. Similar messages were reported at educational institutions in parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland, raising concerns about a possible coordinated intimidation campaign.

Italian authorities swiftly assessed the threats as hoaxes, with no immediate evidence of an actual explosive device. Nevertheless, the alerts triggered widespread anxiety among students, parents and school staff, prompting police and emergency services to respond.

The situation also drew attention from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who said the threats did not represent a real danger and confirmed that law enforcement agencies and public authorities were monitoring developments.

One of the threatening messages also claimed that a bomb had been planted in Meloni's vehicle, adding to the security concerns surrounding the incident.

According to Reuters, the latest episode comes amid a broader series of cyber incidents and disruptive threats affecting European businesses, public institutions and essential services.

Parents rush to collect children as Italian schools shut

The scale of the threats led to precautionary evacuations at more than 300 educational institutions across Italy. Students were moved to designated safe areas while school authorities coordinated with emergency services and contacted parents to arrange their collection.

In Rome, the sudden disruption left several families distressed as children struggled to understand why they were being evacuated.

Nensi Bego, whose daughter attends Mazzini Middle School, told Reuters that her child had started crying during the incident and remained frightened even after being reunited with her family.

Bego also criticised the disruption, saying the apparent hoax had interrupted lessons and forced parents to abandon their daily schedules unnecessarily.

One school in Rome reassured families through a messaging application that all students had been moved to safety and were being supervised by teachers.

Although authorities did not identify an immediate physical threat, the incident highlighted how easily threatening communications can disrupt educational institutions and create panic within local communities.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland receive similar alerts

The threatening emails were not limited to Italy. Educational institutions in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland also received messages containing bomb threats.

Officials in these regions assessed the communications as hoaxes, with no major disruption to school activities reported.

The apparent international reach of the messages has raised questions about whether the threats originated from a single source or formed part of a wider campaign.

A copy of one email reviewed by Reuters carried the signature of an individual identifying himself as "Mikhail Andropov, leader of the Vilayat of Misoginistan".

The same purported sender had reportedly claimed responsibility for threatening emails sent to media organisations in Ireland and Bulgaria on Friday.

However, authorities have yet to establish the sender's actual identity, the origin of the messages or the motive behind the campaign.

Europe examines possible links to wider hybrid threats

The school evacuations come at a time when several European countries are dealing with a growing number of cyberattacks, suspicious communications and disruptions targeting public infrastructure and commercial organisations.

Some European officials have raised concerns about a possible Russian-linked campaign intended to undermine public confidence and create instability in countries supporting Ukraine in its war against Moscow.

Russia has consistently rejected allegations of involvement in such activities and accused Western governments of spreading false claims.

Iran has also faced scrutiny following a separate cyber incident in France. French authorities summoned Iran's ambassador on Tuesday after alleging that Tehran was responsible for a cyberattack affecting refrigeration systems at hundreds of supermarkets.

Iran dismissed the accusation as baseless and hostile.

However, there is currently no established evidence connecting the school bomb threats to either Russia or Iran. Authorities have not publicly established any link between the separate incidents.

Italian minister warns against panic and premature blame

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto described the threats as part of an increasingly familiar pattern of attempts to generate public anxiety.

Speaking to the Adnkronos news agency, Crosetto said such incidents appeared designed to create fear and unsettle communities.

At the same time, he cautioned against automatically attributing every threatening incident to foreign governments or organised hostile groups. He noted that individuals seeking attention or acting irresponsibly could also be responsible for such disruptions.

His remarks underline the challenges confronting European security agencies, which must investigate every credible threat while avoiding unnecessary public alarm.

School authorities flag wider impact of bomb hoaxes

Italian school administrators have also warned that even threats later established to be false can have serious consequences for educational institutions.

Antonello Giannelli, president of the Italian School Principals Association, said the incidents should not be dismissed simply because no explosives were found.

He pointed out that such alerts affect entire school communities, disrupt teaching schedules and create anxiety among students, parents and teachers.

The latest incidents have once again exposed the vulnerability of public institutions to threatening digital communications. Even without a physical attack, a single email can trigger emergency responses, force mass evacuations and bring normal activities to a standstill.