MADRID – US tanker aircraft have relocated from military bases in southern Spain after Madrid refused to authorise logistical support operations linked to the joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

Defence Minister Margarita Robles said Monday that Spain “has not provided and will not provide” assistance for what she described as a “unilateral” operation via the shared Rota and Morón bases.

US tanker aircrafts permanently stationed in Spain will not operate from Spanish soil for this mission, Robles said, adding that Washington had taken the “sovereign decision” to move them elsewhere.

Although Rota and Morón are jointly operated under a 1988 bilateral agreement, Robles stressed that any use of the facilities must comply with international law.

The bases serve as a strategic transit hub for US troops, equipment and fuel heading to the Middle East and Gulf. Their role has previously sparked controversy – notably during last year’s brief Israel–Iran conflict, when they were used as stop-off points for US bombers and tanker aircraft, and later amid reports of US military transfers to Israel despite Spain’s embargo.

The episode adds to broader tensions between Madrid and Washington. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has resisted pressure to boost defence spending beyond NATO’s 2% GDP benchmark, arguing higher outlays would undermine Spain’s welfare model.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Spain’s military spending, which rose from 1.43% of GDP in 2024 to 2% by the end of last year, according to NATO data.

(cs)