Spain Closes Airspace to US Aircraft Involved in Attacks on Iran

Spain has closed its airspace to US aircraft participating in the operation against Iran.

This was reported by El País, citing the country’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez.

The ban applies to both combat aircraft and refueling aircraft involved in the attacks.

Sánchez stated that Madrid has rejected all flight plans related to the operation in Iran. The US Air Force can no longer use the Spanish bases in Rota and Morón de la Frontera for refueling or as transit points.

Exceptions are made only for emergency situations. At the same time, the bases continue to operate as usual to provide logistical support to US forces in Europe in accordance with existing bilateral agreements.

This decision forced the Pentagon to urgently change the logistics of the entire operation.

About fifteen KC-135 tanker aircraft were forced to relocate from Spain to France and Germany.

In addition, Washington had to find new locations to station its B-52 and B-1 strategic bombers, which were ultimately hosted by the United Kingdom at Fairford Air Base.

Due to the closure of Spanish airspace, American bombers are forced to fly more complicated routes: either over French territory with refueling over the Mediterranean Sea, or by circumnavigating the Iberian Peninsula via the Strait of Gibraltar.

B-2 strategic bombers flying directly from the US also use the route through Gibraltar, as Spain lacks the authority to prohibit transit through this international corridor.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Spain did not allow the US to use its military bases for strikes against Iran.

Spain was used by the US as a transit hub for American aircraft, which the Donald Trump administration had amassed in the region ahead of the strikes against Iran.