White House responds to Spain closing airspace to US military

The White House told Newsweek on Monday the United States does not need “help from Spain or anyone else” after Madrid closed its airspace to U.S. aircraft involved in the Iran war, a move that underscores the country's opposition to U.S. and Israeli military operations in the Middle East.

“The United States Military is meeting or surpassing all of its goals under Operation Epic Fury and does not need help from Spain or anyone else," the White House official said.

Spain closed its airspace to U.S. aircraft involved in the Iran war as part of its broader refusal to support U.S. and Israeli military operations that the Spanish government has described as illegal and unjust.

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Madrid had already barred the use of jointly operated military bases for the conflict and applied the same logic to its airspace, saying Spanish authorities made clear from the outset that neither bases nor airspace would be authorized for actions related to the war.