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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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Austria became the latest country to effectively close its airspace to U.S. and Israeli forces headed for Iran on Thursday, joining at least four other countries in Europe, amid ongoing tensions between Washington and its allies over the war.
The traditionally neutral nation cited this stance when confirming the news to Austrian broadcaster ORF. While officials were not issuing an outright ban, requests from the United States were being dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Newsweek reached out to the Pentagon via email for comment.
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European Nations Pushing Back Against the US
The refusal follows steps similar to those taken by Spain and Italy, which have also restricted U.S. military access to airspace or bases during the conflict—moves that have drawn criticism from President Donald Trump and the White House and raised questions about alliance cohesion.
Spain’s decision last week to bar U.S. military aircraft from its airspace was seen as a particularly sharp break given its NATO membership.
Earlier this week, Trump publicly criticized France after it declined to allow aircraft carrying U.S. military supplies to Israel to transit French airspace. Trump accused Paris of being “very unhelpful” and warned that the United States would “remember” the decision, framing it as part of a broader lack of European support for the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran.
French officials later pushed back, saying France had not imposed a blanket closure but was reviewing military overflight requests individually in line with its long‑standing policy and international law.
Switzerland, citing its neutrality laws, rejected most of the U.S. requests to use its airspace during the Iran war, according to the news agency Keystone-SDA, via Swiss Info.
Of the 11 applications it received from the U.S. between March 5 and 23, only four were approved by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation, and one was withdrawn, the report stated.
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What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for Austria's Defense Ministry told Newsweek: "For reasons of neutrality, Austria refuses overflights and the transit of troops if these would serve to provide military support to a party to any conflicts. If it is known that a military aircraft or military vehicle is directly or indirectly involved in a conflict, overflight or transit will be denied in consultation with the ministry of foreign affairs."
President Donald Trump, in a televised address on Wednesday evening: "Thanks to the progress we've made, I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America's military objectives shortly, very shortly. We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We're going to bring them back to the Stone Ages where they belong."
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking Thursday: “To the United States and Israel, it is high time to stop the war that is inflicting immense human suffering and already triggering devastating economic consequences."
What Happens Next
World leaders are meeting on Thursday to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as the conflict continues.
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