Spain Shuts Down US Military Flights Over Its Territory — NATO Alliance Fractures Over Iran War

Spain has officially closed its airspace to all US aircraft involved in attacks on Iran, marking the most dramatic rupture yet in the Western alliance over the five-week-old conflict.

What Spain Did

Defence Minister Margarita Robles confirmed that Spain will not authorize the use of the Morón and Rota military bases in Andalusia for any operations related to the Iran war. “We have made this clear to the American government from the beginning,” she said.

All flight plans related to the operation have been rejected — including refueling aircraft. Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Albares said the goal was to “not do anything that could encourage an escalation in this war.”

US Response

A White House official told the BBC that the US military is “meeting or surpassing all of its goals under Operation Epic Fury and does not need help from Spain or anyone else.” Trump has previously threatened a full trade embargo on Spain over its opposition to the war.

The Broader Split

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez has been one of the most vocal opponents of the US-Israeli strikes, calling them “reckless” and “illegal.” The UK, meanwhile, has taken the opposite approach — allowing US bombers to operate from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

Planes from RAF Fairford will now be forced to bypass the Iberian peninsula, flying either over the eastern Atlantic or through French airspace. This is the first time a NATO member has formally blocked US military operations from its territory during an active conflict — a precedent with major implications for the alliance’s future.

Source: BBC News