Spain Bans US Military Aircraft From Airspace Over Operation Epic Fury in Iran

Spain closed its airspace on March 30, 2026, to all United States military aircraft involved in Operation Epic Fury, escalating a dispute with Washington that has already strained bilateral relations and drawn threats of a trade embargo from President Donald Trump. The ban, reported by Spanish newspaper El País citing military sources and confirmed by Defense Minister Margarita Robles, extends beyond a previous prohibition on the use of jointly operated air bases and now bars US aircraft from Spanish airspace entirely, including those flying from third countries such as the United Kingdom or France. The Spanish Ministry of Defense did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment. Emergency situations are the only exception to the closure. The ban applies solely to military operations and does not affect commercial flights, according to sources from Spanish air navigation manager Enaire cited by the EFE agency.

Bombers rerouted to UK after Spain rejected basing requests The airspace closure has concrete operational consequences for US military planning. According to El País, Spain had already rejected requests to station US B-52 and B-1 bombers at the Rota and Morón de la Frontera bases, forcing those aircraft to relocate to the United Kingdom. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer subsequently authorized the use of British bases for what he described as "defensive" attacks on Iranian missile positions. Several tanker aircraft were also moved to France and Germany, according to El País. The ban also applies to US aircraft operating from those third-country bases, requiring them to bypass the Iberian Peninsula entirely on routes to the Middle East, extending flight distances. At sea, however, Spain continues cooperation with the United States for defensive operations: five US Arleigh Burke destroyers remain stationed at the Rota base, and according to El País those vessels participated in intercepting three ballistic missiles that violated Turkish airspace in recent weeks.

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Sánchez calls the war illegal, Trump threatens trade cutoff Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been among the most vocal critics of the US-Israeli campaign, describing it as "illegal," "reckless," and "an extraordinary mistake." Speaking before the Spanish parliament, Sánchez stated that all flight plans related to Iran operations had been rejected, including those of tanker aircraft. First Vice President and Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo, who assumed the vice-presidential role on March 27, 2026, addressed the diplomatic fallout directly in an interview with radio station Cadena Ser.

„This decision is part of the decision already made by the Spanish government not to participate in or contribute to a war which was initiated unilaterally and against international law.” — Carlos Cuerpo via Reuters

Cuerpo added that Spanish companies are currently operating under the same conditions as other European firms in the United States, and that the government's goal is to improve bilateral relations. He announced the opening of two new Spanish economic offices in Boston and Houston to help Spanish companies establish themselves in the American market. Trump has responded to Spain's restrictions by threatening to "stop" trade exchanges with Madrid, a threat that Cuerpo's remarks appeared designed to address without conceding ground on the military question.

NATO spending dispute adds friction to already strained ties The airspace closure deepens a broader rift between Madrid and Washington that predates the Iran conflict. The United States has criticized Spain for failing to meet the 5% of GDP defense spending target set within NATO, adding an economic dimension to the political disagreement over the Iran war. Spain's refusal to allow use of the Rota and Morón bases — jointly operated under a bilateral US-Spain agreement — has already prompted repeated attacks on Spanish authorities from Trump. Defense Minister Margarita Robles confirmed the government's position without ambiguity.

„The use of the bases [American in Spain] is not authorized, and of course the use of Spanish airspace for actions related to the war in Iran is not authorized either.” — Margarita Robles via Franceinfo

Operation Epic Fury, the US-Israel military campaign against Iran, began on February 28, 2026. The initial strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, after which Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. Spain's restrictions on US military use of its bases represent one of the most significant acts of opposition to the campaign by a NATO member state. The Rota and Morón de la Frontera bases are jointly operated under a bilateral defense agreement between the United States and Spain.

The bilateral defense agreement that governs the Rota and Morón bases remains formally in force for missions outside the Iran conflict, and Spain has not moved to suspend it entirely. The combination of base denials, airspace closure, and Trump's trade threats has placed the US-Spain relationship under strain not seen in recent decades, with no indication from either government that a resolution is imminent.