Overview
- Spain’s defense minister said Monday that U.S. military aircraft tied to the war in Iran cannot use Spanish airspace, confirming a policy she said was communicated from the start.
- The government had already blocked use of the Rota and Morón bases, and reporters tracked more than a dozen U.S. aircraft, including refueling tankers, relocating in the days after that ban.
- El País reported that the airspace restriction also covers overflights by U.S. planes based in other countries such as the U.K. or France, with exceptions only for emergencies.
- The closure forces U.S. crews to route around the Iberian Peninsula, which can mean longer flight times, extra fuel stops, and shifting tanker support to bases in places like Germany and the U.K.
- Tensions with Washington have grown as President Trump threatened trade penalties, while Spanish officials said routine bilateral activity at the shared bases continues and framed the stance as a legal and sovereign choice that highlights divisions within NATO.