France has allowed U.S. non-combat support aircraft to operate from Istres air base after securing guarantees they will not take part in strikes on Iran. Flight-tracking data shows four KC-135 tankers arrived from Rota on Monday and a fifth on Wednesday and have stayed at Istres. French officials say the authorisation is strictly limited to refuelling and defensive support for Gulf partners, and Paris has emphasised it will verify compliance.
France Allows US Non-Combat Support Planes At Istres After Guarantees They Won't Join Strikes
According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, four KC-135 refueling aircraft arrived at France's Istres base on Monday (Elodie CLEMENT)(Elodie CLEMENT/AFP/AFP)
France has authorised U.S. non-combat support aircraft to operate from the Istres air base in southern France after receiving assurances the planes would not take part in strikes on Iran, the French military said on Thursday.
Official Statement And Conditions
The French general staff said the aircraft "providing operational support (not combat aircraft) have been accepted at the Istres air base in France." Paris insisted these assets must not participate in U.S. operations targeting Iran and may only be used to support the defence of regional partners. The military said it had "full guarantees" to that effect.
"France has required that the assets involved in no way take part in the operations conducted by the United States in Iran, but strictly in support of the defence of our partners in the region. It has obtained full guarantees to that effect."
Verification And NATO Context
Alice Rufo, minister delegate to the defence minister, described the move as a "routine procedure within the framework of NATO," adding that in some countries such approvals are automatic. She said French authorities "systematically verify" such activity and confirmed the aircraft refuelling at Istres were supporting the defence of Gulf states, not offensive U.S. operations. "That is the limit we have set, and it has been respected," Rufo said.
Flight Data And Military Comments
Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reported that four KC-135 tanker aircraft arrived at Istres from Rota, Spain, on Monday, with a fifth KC-135 arriving on Wednesday. The tracking data shows the planes have remained at Istres since their arrivals.
Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin emphasised the limited nature of the authorisation: "A refuelling aircraft is a service station, it is not a fighter jet," she said, adding that the president's authorisation covers refuelling capability only.
Wider Context And Risks
President Emmanuel Macron has said that recent U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran were carried out "outside international law." Since the strikes began last Saturday, France has taken what Macron called a "strictly defensive" posture. On Tuesday he announced that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle would be sent to the Mediterranean.
France is bound by defence agreements with Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE, and some left-wing politicians have warned the country could be drawn into a wider conflict if tensions escalate.
What Remains Unchanged
French officials stressed there is no authorisation to use French bases in the Near and Middle East for American offensive action. The guarantees and ongoing verification were presented as the safeguard ensuring the deployment remains limited to defensive and logistical support.
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