MADRID — In a dramatic assertion of sovereignty, the Spanish government has ordered a U.S. military pull-out from key bases on its soil after refusing Washington permission to use them in attacks on Iran. Fifteen U.S. aircraft, mainly aerial refueling tankers, have already departed the Rota and Morón air bases in southern Spain, flight tracking data show.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has drawn a sharp “red line” with Washington, denouncing the U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran as a dangerous and unjustified military intervention that lacks backing from the United Nations and international law. His government insisted that Spanish bases remain under full national control and cannot be used for offensive action that falls outside agreed treaties or the U.N. Charter.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares echoed the tough stance, making clear that no military action emanating from Spanish soil will support attacks on Iran — a position that has already triggered the relocation of U.S. aircraft to other NATO facilities.
The move signals an emerging rift between Madrid and Washington over the expanding Middle East conflict, with Spain staking out a more cautious, diplomacy-first approach while urging respect for international law.
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