"Roma" and her two sisters were moved from Taranto to Naples, on 12 November, in response to the Allied invasion of North Africa; while en route, the three battleships were attacked by the British submarine , though no hits were made. On 4 December, the United States launched a major air raid on Naples in an attempt to destroy the Italian fleet; one cruiser was destroyed and two others were damaged in the attack, as were four destroyers. Two days later, "Roma" was transferred with "Vittorio Veneto" and "Littorio" to La Spezia, where she became the flagship of the "Regia Marina". They remained here through the first half of 1943, without going on any operations.