A bomb exploded outside the home of Sigfrido Ranucci, one of Italy’s leading investigative journalists, late Thursday, destroying two cars and damaging a nearby house, though no one was injured.

Ranucci, host of RAI’s weekly investigative programme 'Report', said the rudimentary device, likely made from firework explosives, had been planted outside the front gate of his house in Campo Ascolano, about 30 kilometres south of Rome.

“Apart from the shock, all is OK,” he told RAI, adding that the explosion occurred about 20 minutes after he had returned home. Both his car and his daughter’s were practically destroyed.

The journalist noted that both he and his newsroom had long received threats of various kinds, including bullets, though he said he could not confirm whether the bomb was linked to his work.

ANSA reported that anti-Mafia prosecutors had opened an investigation for criminal damage with aggravating circumstances of mafia-style methods.

Police, firefighters, and forensic teams are investigating. Report said the blast was powerful enough to have killed anyone passing by.

The blast prompted messages of solidarity from colleagues, politicians, and the government.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the attack as a “serious act of intimidation,” adding, “Freedom and independence of information are essential values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend.” Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi confirmed that Ranucci’s police escort would be stepped up.

'Report' is one of the few investigative programmes on Italian television, regularly exposing wrongdoing by prominent politicians, business leaders, and public figures.

Ranucci has often clashed with the government, leading several members of Meloni’s right-wing coalition—including Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, the Brothers of Italy party, and her head of cabinet Gaetano Caputi—to sue the programme. Just this week, Ranucci was acquitted in his latest defamation case arising from a Report story.