Tobias Lang (@tobiaslang.bsky.social)

Austria rejects US request to use airspace for Iran operations <article data-history-node-id="437272" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/austria-rejects-us-request-use-airspace-iran-operations" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/austria-rejects-us-request-use-airspace-iran-operations" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Austria rejects US request to use airspace for Iran operations</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p style="line-height:1.38">The Austrian defense ministry said it has refused to let the US use its airspace to launch military operations against Iran, citing the country’s longstanding policy of military neutrality.</p> <p>A ministry spokesperson said Washington had made “several” requests to use their airspace, adding that each case would be assessed individually, instead of imposing a blanket ban on US overflights.</p> <p>Austria joins Spain and Italy in being vocal about denying the US bombers permission to use their military bases or airspaces during the conflict. </p> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="A US Air Force B-1 Lancer bomber takes off from RAF Fairford in south-west England on 15 March 2026 (Henry Nicholls / AFP)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6e87d628-7ff0-4dcc-8bc9-49f12e87b5bb" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/000_A3C2769-2.jpg" width="1920" height="1080" alt="A US Air Force B-1 Lancer bomber takes off from RAF Fairford in south-west England on 15 March 2026 (Henry Nicholls / AFP)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>A US Air Force B-1 Lancer bomber takes off from RAF Fairford in south-west England on 15 March 2026 (Henry Nicholls / AFP)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url("https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article> https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/austria-rejects-us-request-use-airspace-iran-operations