Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 2, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleFifteen U.S. aircraft left Spain after Madrid barred use of its bases for attacks on Iran following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes. Spain’s decision highlights tensions with Washington and its unique stance in Europe. [Reuters](www.reuters.com/world/us-aircraft-leave-spain-after-government-
MADRID, March 2 (Reuters) - Fifteen U.S. aircraft have left the Rota and Moron military bases in southern Spain since the U.S. and Israel launched weekend attacks on Iran, maps by flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed on Monday.
Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Spain would not allow its military bases, which are jointly operated by the U.S. and Spain but under Spanish sovereignty, to be used for attacks on Iran, which Spain has condemned.
At least seven of the aircraft were shown on FlightRadar24 as having landed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Britain had also initially refused to allow the use of its bases for an attack on Iran, but on Sunday Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorised their use for "collective self-defence".
Spain's stance and the emphatic condemnation of the U.S-Israeli actions in Iran by Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez once again make it an outlier in the region, potentially straining its relationship with Washington further.
"Spanish bases are not being used for this operation, and they will not be used for anything not included in the agreement with the United States or for anything that is not in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations," Albares said, speaking to Spanish broadcaster Telecinco.
Defence Minister Margarita Robles said the aircraft - primarily aerial refuelling tankers including the Boeing KC-135 "Stratotanker" - had been permanently stationed in Spain.
FlightRadar24's tracking website showed nine tankers departed on Sunday from the Moron airbase in southern Spain and headed towards Germany.
Two flights departed from Rota, a naval base with an airfield, towards southern France, FlightRadar24 showed. A further four flights departed from Rota but their route was not shown.
(Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, David Latona, Elena Rodriguez, Emma Pinedo; Editing by Alex Richardson)
US aircraft left after Spain denied their use for attacks on Iran, following diplomatic objections to military action.
Fifteen US aircraft departed from Rota and Moron military bases in southern Spain.
At least seven aircraft landed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, while others went to southern France or undisclosed locations.
The aircraft included primarily aerial refuelling tankers such as the Boeing KC-135 'Stratotanker.'
Spain will not allow its bases to be used for attacks not in accordance with its agreement with the US or the UN Charter.
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