Two U.S. Air Force KC-135 tanker aircraft have withdrawn from Bulgaria’s Bezmer Air Base, ending a temporary deployment that had raised local and regional tensions amid ongoing conflicts involving Iran. The departure was confirmed Friday by Bulgaria’s Defense Minister, Dimitar Stoyanov.
The tankers were initially stationed at Bezmer to support U.S. military operations linked to Iran. Their deployment followed a bilateral agreement allowing joint use of military facilities and was formally authorized by the Bulgarian parliament on July 22. The approval permitted approximately 250 U.S. military personnel to be stationed at the base through October. However, the decision provoked immediate public protests from local residents who expressed concerns that the presence of American aircraft could turn the area into a target for Iranian missile or drone attacks.
The deployment also elicited swift diplomatic reactions from Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi contacted his Bulgarian counterpart soon after the authorization, warning that any party participating in military actions against Iran would be held accountable for the consequences. Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described Bulgaria’s hosting of the U.S. tankers as implicating the country in what Iran considers "crimes of aggression and war crimes."
Heightened tensions followed reports suggesting that Iran had considered strikes against U.S. military assets in southeastern Europe, with Bulgaria specifically cited as a potential target if hostilities escalated. In response, an unnamed NATO official emphasized that the alliance remains fully prepared to counter threats against U.S. forces on European soil.
The local reaction to the aircraft’s departure has been mixed. Dr. Tania Glouhtcheva, Head of the International Department at Bulgaria’s DUMA newspaper and a political science expert, noted that the immediate relief felt by residents near Bezmer was tempered by broader anxieties over the reliability of NATO’s security guarantees. She said many Bulgarians question the alliance’s ability to protect smaller member states, citing recent crises that revealed national interests often prevail over collective action within the European Union and NATO frameworks.
Dr. Glouhtcheva also expressed skepticism about Washington’s consistency as a strategic partner, pointing to the unpredictability of U.S. leadership under former President Donald Trump and the potential implications for Sofia’s foreign policy stance.
The withdrawal of the KC-135 tankers has alleviated concerns among local communities about being drawn into conflict zones. Yet the episode has underscored deeper uncertainties about Europe's security architecture, particularly the balance between alliance commitments and national protection. For many in Bulgaria and the wider region, the incident has amplified worries that closer alignment with U.S. military initiatives could increase exposure to risks in a volatile geopolitical climate, while existing security guarantees may not fully mitigate those threats.