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Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Bulgarian parliament votes to allow US to station refueling planes
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Bulgaria’s parliament votes to allow the United States to base refueling planes in the country, as Donald Trump threatens to further escalate military attacks on Iran.
Washington made the request Friday, and parliament approved it with 136 votes in favor, 13 against and two abstentions.
Bulgaria will authorize the deployment of up to eight KC-135 tanker aircraft and up to 250 military personnel, tasked with supporting operations in the Middle East.
They will be stationed at Bezmer Air Base in the southeast, from July 24 to October 1, 2026.
The move comes as Israel has sought to clear out some of the refueling planes stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, at the same time that the US is sending more to the region amid the escalation with Iran.
The presence of US military aircraft, which have been stationed at the Tel Aviv airport for months, limits the number of commercial flights that can be operated there.
Yesterday, amid news that Bulgaria may host the refuelers, Tehran warned Sofia that aiding US military operations would make it “an accomplice to aggressors and criminals.”
Bulgarian Prime Minister Roumen Radev stresses, however, that Bulgaria will not itself be used as a base for attacks on Iran.
“These refueling aircraft will be used exclusively for logistical and in-flight refueling missions outside Bulgarian airspace,” he says.
The Times of Israel Community.