For US War Planes, Spain Is Now a No-Fly Zone

Spain has barred American aircraft from using its airspace in connection with the ongoing Iran conflict, Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced Monday. This move follows Madrid’s earlier refusal to allow U.S. forces to operate from jointly managed Spanish military bases for the same conflict, a decision Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has criticized as illegal, reckless, and unjust.

Robles emphasized that Spain’s restrictions extend to airspace, reinforcing that the same rules applied to the use of military bases also govern flights. “From the outset, it was made very clear to American forces that Spanish bases and airspace cannot be used for any operations linked to the war in Iran,” she told reporters. The closure of Spanish airspace was first reported by the newspaper El Pais, citing military sources.

Under Sánchez, Spain has emerged as one of Europe’s most outspoken opponents of U.S. and Israeli military actions in the Middle East. When Madrid denied Washington access to the Rota and Morón bases in southern Spain, President Trump warned that trade relations could be affected. Sánchez has also strongly criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Robles reiterated Spain’s stance on the Iran conflict, calling it “profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust” and highlighting the government’s consistent opposition.

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