El País: Spain closes its airspace to US fighter jets
The Spanish government has decided to close its airspace to US planes participating in attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, according to the Spanish El País newspaper, and later confirmed by sources in the Ministry of Defense.
Escalation in dispute between Madrid and Washington The Spanish government had previously banned US aircraft from using the naval and air bases of Rota (Cádiz) and Morón de la Frontera (Seville).
Madrid, which adopts a no war stance, has taken a new step by closing its airspace to US warplanes.
It pointed out that after this decision, the US administration held consultations with Madrid and abandoned the plan to deploy B-52 and B-1 bombers at the Morón de la Frontera base.
The only exception to the decision to close the airspace is in emergency situations, where US planes can be allowed to transit or land in these circumstances.
It explained that the US planes, while returning from Iran, pass through the British Strait of Gibraltar without entering Spanish airspace.
Spain’s refusal to allow the use of the Rota and Moron bases has caused tension between the two countries.
For his part, US President Donald Trump has criticized Spain several times and threatened to cut trade relations with it.
