U.S. Refueling Aircraft Arrive at Bulgarian Base Amid Regional Tensions

Two American military refueling aircraft touched down Friday at Bezmer Air Base in southeastern Bulgaria, marking the arrival of the first contingent of a larger deployment authorized by Bulgarian lawmakers. The U.S. plan includes positioning up to eight KC-135 tankers at the facility, along with 250 personnel equipped with weapons, ammunition, and support equipment to aid Middle East operations. Iran has formally registered a complaint over the development, while residents in nearby communities have staged protests against the positioning.

Bulgaria’s parliament voted in July to approve the deployment under an existing 2006 defense accord that designates Bezmer as a jointly-operated facility requiring legislative consent for new missions. The authorization extends through October 1, 2026, and came following a request from the U.S. Embassy in Sofia. The base sits approximately 160 miles southeast of the capital.

President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Rumen Radev on his Truth Social account for approving the measure “despite Iran’s threats.” However, Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova told her Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Thursday that Bulgaria’s position toward Iran remains unchanged and that no direct military operations related to Middle Eastern conflicts would originate from Bulgarian soil.

Local residents in Bezmer village and the regional city of Yambol have organized peaceful demonstrations in recent days. Government representatives visited the area to reassure citizens that aircraft operations would involve only refueling missions conducted outside Bulgarian airspace, characterizing the deployment as purely logistical in nature.